Lewis Hamilton is about to embark on what could be the final chapter of his illustrious Formula 1 career.
He may have wondered whether the opportunity to race for Ferrari would have ever arisen, but team principal Frederic Vasseur didn’t hesitate when he learned that Lewis Hamilton was keen on racing for the Scuderia in 2025.
More than a year after he announced that 2024 would be his 12th and final season with Mercedes, Hamilton is about to start his first Grand Prix weekend wearing Ferrari’s iconic red racing overalls.
Hamilton would have hoped for his final season with the Silver Arrows to end on a more positive note, recording his lowest-ever finish in the drivers’ championship.
Out of the drivers from the top four manufacturers, Hamilton only finished ahead of Sergio Perez who lost his seat at Red Bull as a result.
However, Hamilton looks reinvigorated at Ferrari and is in a much more positive mood heading into the Australian Grand Prix.
Martin Brundle admitted he had never seen Hamilton look as happy as he does now that he’s signed for Ferrari which will hopefully be reflected in his performances this season.
David Coulthard raced against Hamilton at the end of his career and has seen his rise to become F1’s most successful driver close up.
He shared with the RacingNews365 podcast what left him ‘worried’ when watching Hamilton during his final few seasons at Mercedes.
David Coulthard ‘worried’ after spotting Lewis Hamilton trend before Ferrari move
Coulthard was asked about the seven-time world champion’s move over the winter and explained: “Somehow you always find a way to exploit whatever you’ve got to the best of your ability.
“And I think the exceptionals just do that to a higher level. So, the worrying thing about Lewis in the last couple of years was just he didn’t seem to be as settled with the performance profile of the car.
“Now, that’s either because he had racing driver fatigue, he’s been doing it for so long that he needed that change.
“And sometimes in life and work or in relationships, you need a change just to rediscover your mojo and he certainly seems to be, well, in a Hollywood script, Lewis going to Ferrari, he looks incredible, he’s defying his age in terms of how fit he is.
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“He comes off the back of being the most successful driver in the history of the sport.
“There are so many things to be excited about that I think that we just can’t write the final chapter.
“There will be a final chapter, and it may be in two years’ time, certainly going to be within the next five years, I would imagine.
“But there will be a final chapter and then we’ll be able to make that judgement.”
Lewis Hamilton may have already avoided Fernando Alonso mistake at Ferrari
Ferrari haven’t had a driver win the championship since 2007 when Kimi Raikkonen pipped Hamilton and his McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso during the Brit’s rookie season.
Hamilton then denied Felipe Massa to win his first title the following year and ever since several former world champions have gone on to fail to end Ferrari’s drought.
Both Alonso and Sebastian Vettel were denied while driving for the Scuderia while Charles Leclerc is arguably world champion material as well.
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Hamilton has already avoided one mistake Alonso made at Ferrari since arriving in Maranello.
The Spaniard won his first race for the team at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix. Hamilton would love to emulate that magnificent achievement on Sunday.
