06/01/2025
NEWS STORY
"Let's make it one to remember," says Hamilton as he greets the New Year and a (much anticipated) debut with his new team.
This time last year, the Briton was still very much a Mercedes driver. Of course, for years there had been media speculation linking him with a "dream" move to Maranello but the fact is that while the Maranello outfit was still effectively in the wilderness - as far as titles were concerned - the Three Pointed Star had taken Hamilton to six.
Granted, the rules revamp, not to mention the controversy of Abu Dhabi 2021, had hit Mercedes hard, but most were confident that the German team would eventually solve its issues and therefore offered its star driver the best hope of that elusive eighth title.
Then, in mid-January, once again rumours linking Hamilton with Ferrari began to emerge, but this time there was real meat to them, and on Thursday 1 February the Maranello outfit issued a short, but historic, statement.
"Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract."
The shockwaves that went through the sport were felt hardest at Mercedes, where Toto Wolff was caught completely off guard.
While he was unable to sign-off with that eighth title, Hamilton did at least give Mercedes two wins - even if one was by default - while making a point - in both senses - by passing his teammate on the final lap of the final race.
For the most part, Hamilton has been diplomatic in terms of talking about the move to Ferrari, however from January 1, when he officially became Charles Leclerc's teammate, that changed.
"Let's make it one to remember," he wrote on Linkedin.
"Moving to Scuderia Ferrari, there's a lot to reflect on," he added. "To anyone considering their next move in 2025: embrace the change.
"Whether you're switching industries, learning a new skill, or even just taking on new challenges, remember that reinvention is powerful. Your next opportunity is always within reach."
While the sight of the seven-time world champion in red will give the sport a significant boost, it remains to be seen whether the Italian team can give him a car (and strategies) worthy of his talents, after all the likes of Prost, Alonso and Vettel all tried yet failed.
Acknowledging the excitement at the prospect of seeing Hamilton sporting the prancing horse on his overalls for the first time, team boss Fred Vasseur insists that the serious business that follows is what matters.
"Everybody all over the world is excited and for sure," he told Sky Sports, "the mechanics are also excited, but because it's always exciting to have someone who is a seven-time World Champion into the car.
"But I think after the day one, we'll have to turn this page and to be focused on the job," he warned.
Asked if the Briton's first outing with the team is likely to be emotional, the Frenchman admitted: Yeah, it's true that it's quite emotional, because I think he has this moment in his mind for probably twenty years.
"It means that it will be emotional, but it has to be emotional for one lap! And then, he has to be focused," he added.
"You know that every single team is different for sure, but we are all chasing the same goal with the same approach. What is a bit different is the passion or the emotion around the team, but I think Lewis is well prepared to manage this. I think it's much easier to arrive somewhere when the passion is at the top than the opposite."