Lewis Hamilton once warned his younger self not to let the FIA ‘screw’ him out of claiming one F1 win

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Lewis Hamilton has accumulated 105 victories across an 18-year Formula 1 career with two different teams.

He will be attempting to win with a third different outfit in 2025 after making the move from Mercedes to Ferrari.

Ferrari faces an additional obstacle with Hamilton’s car for the upcoming season, as they have opted to bring a completely new car to the field.

It means that Hamilton will be just as new to the machinery as new teammate Charles Leclerc, who has a six-season edge in experience at the team over the seven-time champion.

They have just two months until the Australian Grand Prix to prepare for an attack on McLaren and Red Bull, who each won championships last year.

Hamilton’s first Ferrari appearance since leaving Mercedes will be at the O2 arena in London, where all teams will come together for the F175 launch event.

Lewis Hamilton warned his younger self to not let the FIA ‘screw’ him with 2008 Spa win

Hamilton has the best chance to win a world championship since 2021 this year, and he’s looking to add an eighth title to his collection to grasp sole hold of the record for most triumphs.

Back in 2008, he was in his second season with McLaren and well in the frame for the Drivers’ Championship.

At the 2008 Belgian Grand Prix, he found himself disqualified after winning the race because he overtook Kimi Raikkonen too soon after cutting the bus stop chicane and gaining an advantage.

The FIA told him to give the place back at the time, which he did, only to go back on their word and strip him of his trophy and points after the event.

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Speaking in a video for the F1 YouTube channel back in 2018, he warned his younger self not to fall for that trick in what turned out to be his first title-winning campaign.

“Don’t let the FIA screw you in Spa,” he said. “You’ve got to be careful. They will say it’s OK for you to let Kimi by and that you’ve done enough. And at the end of the race, they will not let you keep that win.

“So you have to do double, you have to do more. Let Kimi by and give him a good margin so they can’t use it as an excuse.”

Can Lewis Hamilton win an eighth F1 championship in 2025?

There are a few things that need to happen if the Brit wants to win a record eighth Drivers’ Championship in 2025.

Ferrari rediscovered ambitions to win in 2024 and their change in attitude should help them bring the correct aggressive approach to attack in a title fight.

He will also need to overcome his new teammate after Leclerc warned Hamilton that he won’t be beaten at Ferrari by someone on the other side of his garage.

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The Monegasque star is a real force to be reckoned with in qualifying trim. Hamilton struggled most in his final races at Mercedes on a Saturday and needs to hope that a new car cures his woes.

If their attitude remains geared towards winning and he can stay close to Leclerc in qualifying, there’s no reason why the seven-time champion won’t be adding another major trophy to his collection at the end of the season.