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Lewis Hamilton is very close to making his debut in a Ferrari Formula 1 car and it may be the start of the final chapter of his career.
It’s no secret that the seven-time champion is aiming for one more Drivers’ Championship in a bid to set himself apart from anyone who has ever raced in the sport.
Hamilton’s first-day duties will include Ferrari simulator work and a hello to his new team as he starts the process of learning everyone’s names.
Hamilton will join teammate Charles Leclerc in a quest to end Ferrari’s 17-year title drought, after a spell of championship contention without any success.
Team boss Fred Vasseur was careful to avoid Hamilton-related questions in 2024 as he wanted to focus on maximising his team’s performance.
It may have paid dividends as their car ended the season second-fastest. With a winter of good development, they could be on the tails of McLaren with their new car.
How Lewis Hamilton’s greatest Monaco Grand Prix lap compares to Charles Leclerc’s best time
Hamilton and Leclerc’s journey as teammates is going to be one of the most fascinating storylines of the 2025 season.
The Monegasque driver is elite on Saturdays, while the Brit is usually the opposite and turns up the heat on a Sunday.
Leclerc had flashbacks before securing his first Monaco Grand Prix win in 2024, after taking pole position and winning in a dominant showing.
It was his pole lap which was impressive, clocking a 1:10.270 and beating Oscar Piastri by over one-tenth of a second.
Interestingly, while that was his fastest-ever lap around the circuit, it doesn’t quite beat Hamilton’s best effort.
Back in 2019, the ex-Mercedes driver set a time of 1:10.166 on the weekend that he lost dear friend Niki Lauda. He went on to take an emotional win much like Leclerc did in 2024, but the lap was something special.
How Lewis Hamilton earmarked Charles Leclerc for ‘greatness’ before Ferrari deal
Leclerc is entering his seventh season with Ferrari in 2025, making him one of the most experienced drivers at any of the top teams.
His first campaign for them in 2019 had plenty of ups and downs. He missed out on his first victory due to reliability at the Bahrain Grand Prix, with Hamilton going on to win the race.
Hamilton earmarked Leclerc for success in 2019 after his first win at the Belgian Grand Prix, a special occasion for the 21-year-old at the time.
“So there’s a lot more greatness to come from him and I’m looking forward to seeing his growth and racing alongside him. It was fun today, trying to chase him. He was just a little bit too quick.”
“He’s been really unlucky in quite a few races this year – it could easily have been the third win today [after missing out in Bahrain and Austria],” he said.
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