Now that Mercedes is not starting the season too well and Ferrari is off to a great start, Lewis Hamilton will probably not be able to wait until he can get into the red car in 2025. However, former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins warns the Briton against won’t be easy.
“I think he’s disappointed that the car isn’t where it should be, despite major changes being made,” the Sky Sports presenter said in The Fast and the Curious podcast. Hamilton has indicated for years that certain things were not working and argued for certain changes, but was never really heard.’ That frustrates him, according to Collins. “He pushed hard for changes in recent years and they came very slowly,” she says. This would have diminished the good relationship with Mercedes somewhat. ‘He feels some distance from the team.’
Ferrari engine will be a challenge for Hamilton
At Mercedes it was all about the seven-time world champion for years, but this will not be the case at Ferrari. The presenter expects that this will be difficult for Hamilton. “Mercedes has always supported him through thick and thin, they did everything to make what Lewis wanted to happen happen,” she says. At Ferrari, however, the Brit will have to deal with Charles Leclerc, who has been driving for the Italian racing team for quite a few years. So that will require adjustment for Hamilton. “That’s all going to change now,” Collins says.
The former strategist expects that things will not go well for Hamilton, or at least not immediately. “I think the step to Ferrari will be a big challenge for him,” she emphasizes. “He has never driven a car with a Ferrari engine.” Until now, the man from Stevenage has driven for McLaren and Mercedes and so he will be completely used to the Mercedes engine. “The modes of the engines are different and the team ethics are different,” the Northern Irishwoman sums up. ‘Yes, Fred is there too, but it will be a completely different environment.’
