Lewis Hamilton rarely had race-winning machinery during his final three years at Mercedes. And perhaps that’s part of the reason his level seemed to drop.
When the Silver Arrows were a contender, he came alive. He produced one of his all-time best performances at the British Grand Prix last year, ending a two-and-a-half-year victory drought in dry/wet/dry conditions.
A poor showing in Las Vegas qualifying wrecked any chance of victory, but Hamilton was electric in the race. He charged from 10th to second, winning the driver of the day award and joining race-winning teammate George Russell on the podium.
Russell boasted about beating Hamilton ahead of the new season. He feels he’s proved himself good enough to win a world championship in the right machinery.
But perhaps the former Williams driver was more comfortable with the limitations of the Mercedes. He’d come from a team where points were a rarity, while Hamilton had battled for the title in eight consecutive seasons, prevailing six times.
That shouldn’t detract from Russell’s performances – he ultimately got more out of the car last season. Motivation levels may have been key, with one former Mercedes engineer saying Hamilton ‘lets himself down’ when he has ‘no chance’ of winning.
Helmut Marko marvels at Lewis Hamilton’s rate of improvement before Ferrari debut
Speaking to RTL/sport.de, Red Bull executive Helmut Marko previewed the battle between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari. Their rivalry begins at the Australian Grand Prix next weekend.
Hamilton says he’s ‘reinvigorated’ after his switch to Maranello, but Marko fears ‘his motivation will drop’ if the move doesn’t live up to his vision. There are some murmurs that Ferrari have the fourth-fastest car right now, but this is largely educated guesswork.
The 40-year-old must adapt to a brand-new environment, one where Leclerc is already supremely comfortable. But Marko says he’s the kind of driver who can make rapid progress.
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“He went to Ferrari of his own free will,” he said. “He was looking for this new challenge and I believe he will do everything he can to ensure that his expectations are fulfilled.
“But as I said, these are early days. And again: Hamilton can improve supernaturally, but it could also be the case that if the factors don’t match up and he sees no chance of winning, his motivation will drop a little.”
Ferrari boss sends ‘be careful’ message to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
Hamilton heads into 2025 at a disadvantage after completing one of the lowest lap counts in testing. Ferrari encountered a technical issue on the final day of running.
He’s also driven the SF-25 at Fiorano as part of a shakedown, and been active on the simulator. But the three days in Bahrain were most important for his adaptation.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Leclerc started the year ahead. But in a 24-race season, Hamilton would have time to claw back a deficit.
The pair are clean racers, as they proved in an epic battle during last season’s Qatar Grand Prix Sprint. Nonetheless, Fred Vasseur has warned Hamilton and Leclerc to be ‘careful’ and ensure their competition drives the team forward, rather than holding them back.
