After more than a decade of dominance and unparalleled success with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton has opened a new chapter with Ferrari for the 2025 Formula One season. The seven-time world champion, now 40, will make his official race debut in the Scuderia’s iconic red at the Australian Grand Prix in a matter of days. While pre-season testing has shown that he is still in competitive form, early indicators suggest that he may already be lagging behind new team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Red Bull’s outspoken advisor, Helmut Marko, has cast doubt on Hamilton’s ability to thrive in this new environment. He warns that if the British driver struggles to match Leclerc’s pace, his highly anticipated move to Ferrari could quickly unravel into a disaster.
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A fresh start for Hamilton, but challenges await
Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was one of the most shocking in F1 history. Having spent his entire hybrid-era career with Mercedes, where he won six of his seven world titles, his move to the Italian outfit signals a desire to rewrite the final chapters of his career in a new environment.
Hamilton, who turned 40 in January, remains fiercely ambitious and is determined to add another title to his name before he retires.
Adjusting to a new team is never easy, however, even for a driver of his experience. While Ferrari has welcomed him with open arms, he faces the challenge of adapting to a completely different car philosophy. Unlike Mercedes, where he had years of input into car development, Hamilton now has to mold himself to Ferrari’s design, a car that has already been tailored to Charles Leclerc’s driving style over multiple seasons.
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A disaster as testing reveals early deficit
The first real glimpse of Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari came during pre-season testing in Bahrain. Although the Briton completed numerous laps and gradually improved his times, he was still significantly off the pace compared to Leclerc.
A disaster according to Marko, and the Red Bull boss believes that this discrepancy is not surprising, plus it raises concerns about Hamilton’s ability to match his team-mate in the long term.
“According to our calculations, Ferrari is the third strongest team, just ahead of Mercedes. And in Bahrain, Leclerc was clearly faster than Hamilton,” said Marko in an interview with Nextgen-Auto.
“But that’s normal. Leclerc knows the team, he knows the car. Hamilton did a lot of laps and gradually improved, but he was not quite at Leclerc’s level. But it’s the beginning.
The question remains: will Hamilton eventually bridge the gap, or will this early disparity herald a season of frustration?
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The Leclerc factor: A formidable challenge
One of Hamilton’s biggest challenges at Ferrari is Charles Leclerc himself. Not only is the Monegasque driver younger and hungry for his first world title, but he is also deeply embedded within the team’s structure. Since joining Ferrari in 2019, Leclerc has established himself as one of the team’s leading lights, consistently outperforming his former teammate Carlos Sainz.
While Hamilton has experience of battling with strong teammates – he famously clashed with Nico Rosberg at Mercedes – Leclerc presents a unique challenge. The Ferrari star is in his prime and has developed an aggressive yet precise driving style that is finely tuned to Ferrari’s cars.
If Hamilton fails to match or surpass Leclerc, he risks becoming the team’s second priority, something he has never experienced in his career.
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The psychological battle: Can Hamilton stay motivated?
At 40 years old, Hamilton is now the most experienced driver on the grid. While his physical fitness is not in question, the mental aspect of his move to Ferrari could be his biggest test. Will he be able to maintain his motivation when he has to fight for victories?
Marko, who has never shied away from criticising Hamilton, believes the Briton’s motivation could wane if results do not meet his expectations.
“We know that Hamilton can improve miraculously, but it could also be that if the factors are not right and he does not see a chance of winning, his motivation drops a little,” he warned.
Hamilton has always been known for his resilience. Whether it was overcoming setbacks in his early years at McLaren or dominating the turbo-hybrid era with Mercedes, he has always bounced back from adversity. The Ferrari project, however, presents a different kind of challenge.
Unlike Mercedes, where he has been at the centre of the team’s success, Ferrari has a history of internal power struggles and strategic mistakes that have cost them several championships.
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A defining season ahead
The 2025 F1 season will be a defining one for Lewis Hamilton. His first race with Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix on 16 March will provide a crucial insight into how quickly he can adapt to his new surroundings. If he struggles to match Leclerc from the outset, questions about his decision to leave Mercedes will only intensify.
While some see Hamilton’s move to Ferrari as a masterstroke, offering him a fresh challenge and a chance to cement his legacy, others fear it could turn into a nightmare scenario. If Ferrari’s car is not capable of competing at the very front and Hamilton finds himself in the unfamiliar position of playing second fiddle, his final years in F1 could be defined by frustration rather than glory.
For now, the world is watching as Hamilton embarks on this high-stakes gamble. Will he silence the doubters and rise to the occasion, or will his Ferrari adventure end in disappointment? The answer will be revealed in Melbourne.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
