The Gryphon Gazette

By Mihir J. ’25

In the high-octane world of Formula 1, two drivers dictate the outcome of multi billion dollar teams; as a result, driver trades from one team to another can redefine the sport’s landscape in the blink of an eye. As the engines roar to life for the 2024 season, one announcement has sent shockwaves rippling through the paddock: Lewis Hamilton decision to join Ferrari for the 2025 season. This unexpected move has ignited a frenzy of speculation, leaving fans and experts alike wanting to understand the motivations behind Hamilton’s bold leap to the Italian powerhouse. This also leaves Ferrari fans wondering about the future of Carlos Sainz, the Ferrari driver who has to give up his spot to accommodate Hamilton’s switch. 

Ferrari has had a disappointing run in recent seasons, always promising to be a contender against Red Bull, the three-time consecutive title holders, but consistently falling off towards the later half of the season. This stems from a lack of car performance (qualifying and race), bad team calls, or just crashing out/car breaks down. Some people have been looking at this switch for next year’s season as a chance for Ferrari to actually bring a fight to the front of the grid. Additionally, Hamilton will be a valuable asset for the Ferrari team in designing their car for the 2026 season, the year when regulations change(part of a 7 year cycle of changing regulations). At his time at Mercedes, Hamilton helped the team design the dominant W11, arguably the fastest car to ever race in the history of Formula 1. By getting Hamilton familiarized with the Ferrari car, the experienced driver can help the Ferrari engineering team design the new car for 2026, propelling the Prancing Horses in the direction of the once-dominant Mercedes. On a personal level, Hamilton has long harbored aspirations of joining Ferrari, inspired by the legendary Michael Schumacher. He has expressed his desire to immerse himself in the fervent atmosphere of “the sea of Ferrari fans” that he witnesses annually at the Monza Grand Prix. 

There were some more technical problems as well. Loic Serra, the German carmaker who is the Head of Vehicle Performance at Mercedes, is leaving his position. Hamilton, who closely followed Serra’s advice for the team, believed that the current and future trajectory of the team wouldn’t serve his interests well. From Ferrari’s side, team boss Fred Vasseur played a major role in bringing Hamilton over to the Prancing Horses. Vasseur is a close friend of Hamilton as Hamilton raced for him in his junior years in the F3 and GP2 series. Vasseur most likely convinced Hamilton that he had a better chance of winning with Ferrari than with Mercedes.

 

This is all good for Ferrari, but what’s in it for Hamilton? Hamilton has yet to win a race since 2021. Someone as competitive and talented as him would jump at any opportunity to make that change. Additionally, Hamilton is currently tied with Michael Schumacher for the most championship wins at 7. Seeing Mercedes’s lackluster performance in recent seasons, switching to Ferrari could be an opportunity for Hamilton to cement himself as the greatest of all time. 

However, this switch faces a big problem: the displacement of Ferrari’s promising driver Carlos Sainz. Sainz, obviously not ecstatic about Hamilton’s switch, is now exploring opportunities with other teams as he enters the 2025 season.

There is the possibility of a driver swap between Sainz and Hamilton – Sainz could assume Hamilton’s position at Mercedes while Hamilton takes Sainz’s spot at Ferrari. Another possibility is Sainz joining Red Bull(RB), especially considering Sergio Perez’s contract, Red Bull’s secondary driver, is set to expire around the same time as Sainz’s. However, this seems unlikely as Daniel Ricciardo, currently serving as Red Bull’s primary reserve driver and the lead driver for RB, is the likely candidate to replace Perez if he were to depart. Sainz might also consider the option of joining Audi for the 2026 season, with Sauber transitioning into Audi during that time. Furthermore, the expiration of both Sauber drivers’ contracts presents Sainz with the opportunity not only for a smoother transition to the team but also the potential to become their lead driver – an opportunity that has eluded him at Ferrari, where the focus leans more towards their favored driver, Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari looks to be promising for both parties and can hopefully bring a fight to the dominant Red Bull team. With Hamilton’s wealth of experience and Ferrari’s historical prowess, the stage is set for an exhilarating battle on the track, injecting new excitement for the 2025 Formula 1 season.