In the 332 races he has driven, Hamilton has been in pole position 104 times and won 103 grands prix. These statistics place Hamilton as one of the best F1 drivers to date. So, after eleven years at Mercedes and seven Championship wins (six of these at Mercedes), with only Michael Schumacher to be the only other driver to do so, will this move allow Hamilton to win his eighth Championship?
In the 2023 season, Hamilton totalled 234 points, trailing Sergio Perez by 51 points and Championship winner, Max Verstappen, by 341 points. Whilst his team, Mercedes, 451 points behind Red Bull in the Constructor’s Championship. The finalised results table, as well as many other factors, could be one reason as to why Hamilton is making this move.
Ferrari finished third in the Constructor’s Championship on 406 points. This move, when looking at the Constructor’s Championship – without the technology and design of car – seems a plausible reason as it’s a new challenge for Hamilton. However, taking up a seat for Ferrari has meant that one driver no longer has a seat. It is currently confirmed that Carlos Sainz will be the driver to leave Ferrari as his contract ends when Hamilton’s begins.
Taking a look at technology, however, which we can only assume Hamilton has done extensive research on, Ferrari are proving to be the better car. A lot can impact a car and its speed, but to briefly look at tyres as an example: Ferrari are facing tyres problems which are causing a lot of grief, but Mercedes’ overall car issues may be a leading factor into Hamilton’s leave. Mercedes have stronger tyre wear, in contrast to Ferrari, making them more consistent in performance and allowing them to edge ahead in points – as shown in the above statistics. Ferrari do not have the ongoing issues Mercedes have in their engines, so one can assume Ferrari have shown Hamilton the changes they are going to make to make their car the winning car.
Additionally, why 2025? F1 regulations are changing in 2026 (which I won’t get into now). This makes 2025 a great opportunity for Lewis Hamilton to make his move. He can settle within his first season, build relationships with his team and teammate, and be ready for the new regulations to change the way he may drive.
Another factor? Money. It is said that Hamilton will be pocketing $100,000,000 at Ferrari a year. This makes him the highest-paid F1 driver; earning $30million more than Max Verstappen and $66million more than Fernando Alonso. But another could also be that Hamilton has said numerous times throughout his career that he would love to race for Ferrari.
With rumours flying around Formula One fans, my next question is – who will be placed in Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes?