Alexandre
About a year ago, the world F1 was shaken by the announcement of Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari from the 2025 season. A decision that surprised many. One of the main reasons for his departure could be the feeling that he had not been listened to by Mercedes regarding the car's development directions since 2022.
Hamilton's calculated gamble
When Hamilton made the decision to leave McLaren for Mercedes in 2012, he surprised the F1 world, but his choice ultimately paid off. Similarly, when he announced his departure from Mercedes in February 2024, many wondered if the Briton was one step ahead of the rest. This feeling of knowing something more was reinforced by comments from Sky Sports journalist Ted Kravitz, who wonders if Hamilton knew that Mercedes was no longer the place to be.
"Did Lewis know? He decided in the winter of 2023 where 'we haven't even turned a wheel yet in testing [...] I don't think Mercedes is the place to be, I'm going to Ferrari'," Kravitz suggested on the Sky F1 podcast. And Hamilton's choice seems to have been the right one, since the Scuderia Ferrari showed significant progress in 2024, while Mercedes struggled with its F1 W15.
Mercedes' lack of listening skills
Hamilton has often expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that his suggestions and analyses concerning the car's development were not taken into account. According to F1 commentator Karun Chandhok, this could have been a determining factor in his decision to leave the German team. "Maybe he was thinking 'Maybe I'll go somewhere else where they'll listen a bit more', and in the end, that steered his thinking towards Ferrari," added Chandhok.
Mercedes, although capable of brilliant moments such as victory in Belgium, showed little form in 2024. Despite a strong comeback by Hamilton with a win at the British Grand Prix and a second success at Spa, the team continued to struggle with its W15.
Risk-taking that could pay off
Hamilton's move to Ferrari looks like a calculated gamble. By leaving Mercedes, a team with which he enjoyed some historic moments, Hamilton is betting on the future. Ferrari, though yet to win a world title since 2008, has shown signs of solidity, notably by battling with McLaren for the constructors' championship in 2024.
So, did Hamilton know something the others didn't, or did he simply take a risky gamble?" I think it was a calculated risk," Kravitz concludes. "It worked once, so we'll see what happens again."
Ich glaube, Hamilton hat im Ehrgeiz übersehen, dass er seinen Zenit bereits überschritten hat. Er war dabei mehr und mehr hinter Russel ab zu fallen und teamintern zum B-Fahrer abzusteigen. Ich denke, der Umstieg wird ihm nicht helfen. Auch gegen Leclerc wird er mittelfristig keine Chance haben.
Hamilton ist 40 Jahre ALT, was will Ferrari mit ihm? Ferrari schmeißt wieder Geld zum Fenster hinaus! Er wird Ferrari nicht voran bringen! Wenn es in der Saison mehrere gleichwertige Autos/Teams gibt, etwa die Senioren-Weltmeisterschaft gewinnen? Die gibt es nicht. Er hat NICHT mehr die Reaktionsfähigkeit eines 25 Jährigen, er konnte noch NIE ein Team formen und NIE ein Auto entwickeln, sonst wäre er bei McLaren nicht hinterher gefahren und Mercedes wäre heute noch Weltmeister! Punkt!