Few people in Formula 1 know Lewis Hamilton as well as his old Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.
Lewis Hamilton has come out on top against each of his F1 teammates over the years, but Nico Rosberg managed to get one up on him during the 2016 season.
After three seasons together at Mercedes where the Brit came out on top in their intra-team battle, the 2016 campaign saw a shift in momentum.
Rosberg put every ounce of energy he had into winning that championship as he finally sensed an opportunity to beat Hamilton.
He even stopped cycling midway through the season to reduce the amount of muscle in his legs to earn a fraction of a second per lap over his rival as the battle was so close.
The German came out on top at the final race in Abu Dhabi and announced a few days later that he was retiring from the sport at the very top.
Hamilton has had seven similar opportunities to do the same during his career, but shows no signs of slowing down any time soon after announcing a move to Ferrari for the 2025 season, having just turned 40 years old.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Rosberg explained what he believes is still motivating his old teammate to continue racing at his age.
Hamilton’s first public appearance for Ferrari is just around the corner and it would be a surprise if he’s not more excited than ever for an F1 season to get underway.
Nico Rosberg explains what motivates Lewis Hamilton ahead of Ferrari debut
Rosberg was asked where he thinks Hamilton’s motivation to continue in Formula 1 comes from having made his debut in the sport in 2007.
He said: “Lewis is driven by a deep love for the sport and a desire to continue to push himself beyond his limits.
“A change like the one he will face this year can reignite that passion.
“Lewis is already a legend, he has nothing to prove, but his choice shows the hunger of a man who wants to continue to grow, both as a driver and as a person.”
READ MORE: Nico Rosberg explains why being Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate was ‘incredibly difficult’
Hamilton went past the 350 Grand Prix mark last year and if it weren’t for the unstoppable Fernando Alonso, he would be the sport’s most experienced driver.
If he didn’t have a move to Ferrari to get excited about, then his motivation would potentially be questioned given Mercedes’ position in the Constructors’ Championship last year.
However, it’s easy for the 40-year-old to get excited about driving a car that narrowly missed out on winning the title in 2024.
Lewis Hamilton’s long-anticipated Ferrari F1 debut is just around the corner
Although the Australian Grand Prix is still two months away, Hamilton won’t have to wait that long to step into a Ferrari F1 car for the first time.
Hamilton’s first Ferrari test is expected to take place next week, albeit it could end up changing at the last minute if conditions aren’t correct.
Ferrari are potentially lining up three tests for Hamilton before pre-season even begins to give him as much time as possible to adapt to their processes and procedures.
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family
As well as a private shakedown at Fiorano and a few days of running in Barcelona, Ferrari could also run Hamilton in a 2026 Pirelli tyre test at Magny-Cours which would be excluded from the wide-ranging testing ban teams and drivers have to adhere to.
Hamilton will be slightly on the back foot against new teammate Charles Leclerc at the start of 2025, given the Monegasque driver is much better prepared when it comes to working with Ferrari.
But as Rosberg explained, Hamilton’s motivation is at a level where he’ll be keen to match and then surpass Leclerc as quickly as possible in 2025.
