Sebastian Vettel warns Lewis Hamilton what will make Ferrari F1 move ‘difficult’

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Sebastian Vettel has warned Lewis Hamilton what will make the seven-time Formula 1 champion’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari ‘difficult’ ahead of replacing Carlos Sainz.

The Scuderia stole a march on the 2025 F1 driver market by signing Hamilton to a multi-year contract in February. A chance to steal the 39-year-old was too enticing for Ferrari president John Elkann, with the Maranello giant already having a vacancy with Sainz’s contract ending.

Sainz has been a Ferrari driver since the 2021 season and is also the only non-Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix since the 2022 Sao Paulo GP. The 29-year-old took his third win last time out at the Australian GP. But Sainz’s victory is just evidence to secure a drive elsewhere now.

Lewis Hamilton ends F1’s most successful driver-team pairing by leaving Mercedes

Hamilton has not won any race since the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP, where the Mercedes driver stretched his record tally to 103 Grand Prix wins. The Briton has recorded 82 of his wins with the Silver Arrows, along with 78 of his record 104 poles plus 148 of his record 197 podiums.

The Stevenage-born star winning six of his seven Formula 1 drivers’ championships with the Brackley outfit since joining in 2013 also makes Hamilton and Mercedes the most successful driver-team pairing ever. But Hamilton will walk away to replace Sainz at Ferrari next season.

READ MORE: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

Ferrari hope that a line-up of Hamilton and Charles Leclerc helps the Scuderia win their first drivers’ title since Kimi Raikkonen’s 2007 championship. The Maranello outfit have also not won an F1 constructors’ championship since 2008 with Raikkonen and Felipe Massa driving.

Sebastian Vettel warns Lewis Hamilton what will be ‘difficult’ about joining Ferrari

Vettel spent six seasons at the Scuderia, but the four-time drivers’ champion would not help Ferrari return to the top. The German threatened Hamilton during the 2017 and 2018 terms but came second to the Mercedes ace. Vettel won his titles with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory

Racing in red from 2015 to 2020 showed Vettel the Ferrari way, though, and the 36-year-old warns Hamilton that getting used to the Scuderia will be ‘difficult’ for the Mercedes star. But Vettel is confident that his former F1 rival will adapt to Ferrari once Hamilton replaces Sainz.

“He has been there for a long time, has a lot of experience and has had more success in his career than any other Formula 1 driver,” Vettel told Sky Germany. “He’ll get through it. But switching to another new team is always difficult, especially at the beginning.

“Many familiar faces that we have known for so many years are gone. You have to get used to the new environment. But he’ll be able to cope with it.”