Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari on a lucrative F1 contract in 2025, but could this unsettle the team as it seeks a return on investment?
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As star driver Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari, the 2025 Formula 1 season marks a significant turning point for the Italian team. The seven-time F1 Drivers’ champion’s arrival marks the start of the end of his legendary career as the Brit will likely hang up his helmet when his contract expires in a few years.
But Hamilton’s arrival is not just about him realising a dream of racing for the most illustrious team in the sport’s history. It’s also about him taking on the best chance of securing an eighth championship; thereby breaking the record he currently shares with Michael Schumacher. And doing just that with the team that propelled Schumacher to five of his seven titles… well, that would be the biggest headline-grabber seen in F1 – ever!
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However, Hamilton’s arrival is about more than just him making a dream come true by signing for the Scuderia. It’s about cementing a legacy – even if it comes at the expense of Ferrari’s golden boy, Charles Leclerc.
The Money Factor
Leclerc has long since been seen as the driver to take Ferrari back to the top in F1. After a single season with Sauber, a Ferrari-backed team, in 2018, he was fast-tracked to the A-team in 2019 to partner Sebastian Vettel. And he excelled. He did well in every season since; each time rewarding the team for their trust in him. He remained a team player even when things went awry – either on track with poor strategy calls or driver error – or the car’s performance development going sideways.
Ferrari’s faith in Leclerc is immense, which led to them offering him a new contract last year running from 2025 through to 2029, with it, of course, coming with a salary bump. And Hamilton? Well, his contract is rumoured to be in the region of $400 million, excluding bonuses, and this might present a challenge for the Monegasque driver. This leads us to believe that if Ferrari was willing to pay Hamilton handsomely to ditch Mercedes for their project, then they’d do everything they could to maximise the return on investment.
F1 pundit Gary Anderson summed up the impending situation at Ferrari in 2025:
“For Charles Leclerc, there won’t be the same family team atmosphere that (Carlos) Sainz brought to Ferrari. Yes, they had their battles but resolved most of them amicably. With Hamilton, a seven-time champion, joining, it could be completely different. Ferrari has already backed [Hamilton] to the hilt in paying him way more than Leclerc and I think it will do the same – back Hamilton – for the first part of the season at least, which could rile Leclerc.”
Our Prediction for Hamilton
Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari is bound to create a fascinating dynamic, but it may also lead to tension within the team. With Ferrari’s substantial investment in Hamilton, it is clear they are banking on his wealth of experience and ability to deliver an eighth championship – even at 40-years-old. This will likely make him the team’s focal point, particularly in the early stages of the season.
However, Leclerc, armed with a long-term contract and his own ambitions to secure Ferrari’s first drivers’ title since 2007, will not quietly step aside. The Monegasque driver has shown his loyalty and resilience through years of highs and lows with the team, but his frustration could grow if he perceives an imbalance in team support. A season marred by internal conflicts or poor decision-making could unravel the team’s plans entirely.
But if the Scuderia can strike the right balance and produce a car that allows both drivers to push each other without compromising the bigger picture, they could dominate the championship battle.
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