Lewis Hamilton will hope to mount a fresh challenge to Max Verstappen and Red Bull this year. He hasn’t had a chance to exact revenge since the bitter end to the 2021 season.
Mercedes promised Hamilton a contending car, but they didn’t deliver. Verstappen saw off a challenge from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in 2022, and then produced the most dominant season ever in ’23.
Even last year, when Red Bull lost their advantage, it was McLaren who led the fight. They dethroned Christian Horner’s squad in the constructors’, though Verstappen extended his title streak to four.
Hamilton ended his victory drought at the British Grand Prix and also won in Belgium. But Mercedes ultimately finished nearly 200 points off the pace.
Ferrari, on the other hand, came agonisingly close to ending their title drought (14 points). There’s a strong chance that this year’s car is good enough to win the championship.
At that point, it’s down to Hamilton’s talents. He’s the most successful driver in F1 history, but his 2024 season was unrecognisably anonymous at times.
Christian Horner calls Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari ‘box office’
Speaking at the Autosport awards – via the publication’s TikTok account – Red Bull team principal Horner previewed the season ahead. He’s promised fans a ‘stellar year’, with the top four teams all title contenders.
It’s the final year of the ruleset, so the converge that made 2024 exciting should continue. Horner thinks Mercedes could even be a dark horse.
Turning to Hamilton’s Ferrari move, Horner described it as ‘great’ for the sport. He may have a long-term rivalry with Red Bull, but even they can’t deny it’s ‘box office’.
Horner expects it to be one of the most compelling storylines in the year ahead.
“I think it’s going to be super tight,” he said. “You have four teams who are going to be very competitive. Take your pick. McLaren are going to be strong, Ferrari are going to be strong, Mercedes are going to have something to prove as well. It could be a stellar year.
Asked whether he was keeping a close eye on Hamilton, he said: “I’ve seen some pictures. I think it suits him! Look, I think it’s great for Formula 1 – Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari. That really is box office. I think it’s just another dynamic for this year that could be super exciting.”
Toto Wolff will tell Fred Vasseur one thing after Lewis Hamilton’s testing crash
Hamilton’s preparations for his Ferrari debut have been affected by a crash on his second day of TPC testing. He was unhurt in the incident, but it caused significant damage.
Ferrari are playing down Hamilton’s shunt, but it will only add to the external pressure. He’ll return to the Barcelona circuit for a Pirelli tyre test in around a week’s time.
Fans will remember that he also hit the wall on his first day of pre-season testing for Mercedes back in 2013. That certainly wasn’t a bad omen in the end.
As such, Toto Wolff knows Hamilton’s crash doesn’t matter. And he might be telling his good friend Fred Vasseur not to be concerned.
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