Sebastian Vettel has his “fingers crossed” that Lewis Hamilton will restore title-winning ways to Ferrari.

Four-time World Champion Vettel made his support known for Hamilton in F1 2025 as he chases a record eighth crown upon joining the Scuderia, Vettel pointing out how Hamilton had been the one to previously stop him ending Ferrari’s title drought.

Vettel’s Lewis Hamilton Ferrari title wish: Is F1 2025 the year?

The combination of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes was an F1 record-shattering one, Hamilton winning six of his seven titles with the team, which included the 2017 and 2018 Hamilton championship wins in years where Vettel was his nearest challenger at the wheel of a Ferrari.

But, as Hamilton’s quest for that eighth crown rolls over into his Ferrari tenure, the team also is longing for fresh silverware, with 2008 the last time they were crowned champions through a Constructors’ title win, while Kimi Raikkonen remains their most recent Drivers’ champion in 2007.

And while appearing on the BBC Sports World podcast, Vettel was asked why it is taking so long for Ferrari to be champions again, and whether Hamilton can be a success with the iconic Italian outfit?

“Well, for me, it didn’t quite work because Lewis was there,” said Vettel. “So let’s see now how he will get on.

“But yeah, my fingers crossed. I obviously have raced him a long time. We get along really well, and he’s by far the most outspoken driver on the grid at the minute.

“His on track skills don’t need to be repeated. I think the numbers and statistics speak for themselves.

“But it’s great to see that he’s still on the grid, and he still has, you know, that influence and uses it in a positive manner.

“So naturally, my fingers are crossed, for him to win the championship.”

F1 2025 head-to-head battles

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

That being said, Vettel does not expect Hamilton will have an easy run this year against new team-mate Charles Leclerc, who comfortably had the beating of Vettel in his final Ferrari season in 2020, Leclerc’s second.

Hamilton is 2-1 up so far on Leclerc in F1 2025 in the qualifying head-to-head – outqualifying him in China for the Sprint and Grand Prix – though is yet to finish ahead of Leclerc in a Grand Prix.

“But also, Charles is there,” Vettel notes. “I raced with him. So I think it’s a strong line-up. And in the end, it takes a lot of things to come together, to be there in the last couple of races, to fight for the championship.

“So we will see. It will be close.”

By swapping Mercedes for Ferrari, Hamilton stepped into a truly unique F1 team environment, so Vettel was asked whether racing for Ferrari presents a different type of pressure?

“Maybe it is a bit, but I think Lewis is a competitor, and he has very high expectations about himself,” he replied.

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