Hamilton GOAT verdict issued ahead of Ferrari…….read more
Lewis Hamilton has been hailed as the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time as he prepares for a significant career change, joining Ferrari for the 2025 season. The seven-time world champion, who has dominated the sport for over a decade, will partner with Charles Leclerc at the iconic Scuderia team. Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes marks the end of a remarkable 12-year stint with the Silver Arrows, a period during which he solidified his place as one of F1’s legends.
His departure from Mercedes came after what was a bittersweet finale at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Hamilton, who had joined Mercedes in 2013, had led the team to unprecedented success, but his last campaign proved challenging. Despite securing some strong finishes, the British driver ended the season seventh in the driver’s standings, a stark contrast to his usual dominance on the track. This marked a tough chapter in a season that highlighted the struggles Mercedes has faced in recent years.
Despite the difficulties of his final years at Mercedes, Hamilton’s impact on the team and on F1 as a whole cannot be overstated. Under his leadership, Mercedes became a powerhouse in the sport, and Hamilton’s six championship victories with the team have placed him in the upper echelons of F1 history. His move to Ferrari has generated immense excitement, with the Maranello-based team hoping his experience and winning mentality will help them clinch their first drivers’ and constructors’ titles since 2008.
As the 2024 season came to a close, Hamilton and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff shared an emotional moment reflecting on their extraordinary partnership. The two looked back at the beginning of their journey in 2013, when Mercedes was still a team searching for its identity and success in F1. Together, they built a dominant force in the sport, with Hamilton securing 105 race wins and seven world titles in that time.
In a video shared by Mercedes on their YouTube channel, Wolff reminisced about the early days, noting that when Hamilton first joined, there was no established “heritage” or winning record at Mercedes. “Remember when we started this project, 2013?” Wolff asked. “There was no legacy in that sense, parts would go. And now we’ve collected every single bit. Every single engine that has raced and your six championship-winning cars.”
Hamilton responded by acknowledging the significance of the cars they had built together, saying, “I drove them, they’re your cars.” Wolff, however, turned the spotlight back onto Hamilton, paying tribute to his talent and the legacy he built with Mercedes. “I had a really good driver in those cars,” Wolff remarked, adding, “The best there has ever been.” These words are a fitting reflection of Hamilton’s place in the sport’s history as he heads into a new chapter with Ferrari, aiming for more success in a new environment.
