Lewis Hamilton will hope joining Ferrari sees the seven-time F1 champion join Lando Norris of McLaren in fighting Red Bull star Max Verstappen for the 2025 drivers’ title.
The 40-year-old has completed his shock switch from Mercedes to Maranello after Hamilton decided to join Ferrari after 12 years in Brackley. His time with the Silver Arrows returned six of the Briton’s record-equalling seven titles with Hamilton lifting his first at McLaren in 2008.
Hamilton has not fought for his eighth Formula 1 drivers’ championship since 2021 when he lost out to Verstappen on the final lap of the term, after then-FIA race director Michael Masi manipulated the finish to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He even took seventh in the 2024 table.
His final campaign for Mercedes marked Hamilton’s worst finish to a season in his Formula 1 career. At the same time, last term saw Norris enjoy the best season of his Formula 1 career, as the McLaren ace came second in the standings after fighting for the title for the first time.
Max Verstappen backed to win fifth F1 title as McLaren and Ferrari have two ‘too good’ drivers
Red Bull racer Verstappen ultimately denied Norris his maiden F1 title as the Dutchman won his fourth in as many seasons. The 27-year-old weathered the rise of rivals like McLaren and Ferrari with elite consistency to utilise the early-season dominance Verstappen had relished.
Now, though, Dutch racing driver Mike Hezemans feels Norris goes into the 2025 Formula 1 season as the favourite to win the title. He cites the 25-year-old as the pre-season favourite as Hezemans believes McLaren still have a superior car over Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes.
READ MORE: Every error that cost Lando Norris points in his failed 2024 F1 title challenge
Hezemans has told RacingNews365: “The one who has the best car, that’s really what it is. It looks like it’s going to be the McLaren again…
“Of course, Max is super strong. But if the McLaren and the Ferrari and the Mercedes all get in there, then I think you’re going to have a fantastic season.
“I think the McLaren is still the strongest [car], but how strong is Lando Norris? The last four or five races I thought he was really good, so I would say Lando Norris [is the favourite].”
Yet while Hezemans has Norris as the pre-season title favourite, he thinks Verstappen’s fifth championship in a row awaits the Red Bull driver. The Dutchman claims glory is again on the cards as unlike Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari have a ‘problem’ having two ‘too good’ drivers.
Hezemans added: “That’s McLaren’s whole problem. They actually have two drivers who are too good and too close together, and that might also be Ferrari’s problem.
READ MORE: Seven best drives of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes career ahead of Ferrari move
“And I don’t think they have that problem at Red Bull! So, I think in the end Max will become world champion again.”
Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton cannot rely on team orders like Max Verstappen can
It is fair for Hezemans to believe that McLaren and Ferrari have a ‘problem’ on their hands in the 2025 Formula 1 season with both teams fielding two drivers who will want to be fighting for the title. It is also fair to claim that it gives Verstappen an advantage over his rival drivers.
While McLaren used team orders to let Norris win the 2024 Brazil Sprint, they can no longer rely on Oscar Piastri moving over. With the Australian also now targeting a title, Piastri plans to avoid letting McLaren issue team orders in 2025 and establish himself as their lead driver.
Similarly, Hamilton cannot rely on Charles Leclerc being a No2 driver at Ferrari. But Christian Horner has made it very clear that Red Bull will treat Liam Lawson as Verstappen’s No2 after promoting the Kiwi from junior team Racing Bulls to replace Sergio Perez for the 2025 term.
