McLaren team principal Andrea Stella claimed he was “excited” after seeing Lewis Hamilton driving for the Ferrari F1 team for the first time in late January. The British driver had announced the move from Mercedes to the Italian team in February last year and ended his 12-year stint with the Brackley-based outfit at the end of the 2024 season.
The seven-time F1 world champion officially joined the Maranello-based outfit on January 20 and had his first day in the red car a couple of days later at the team’s private track in Fiorano. Hamilton got a more representative run during the TPC in Barcelona on January 26-28 in the SF-23.
Andrea Stella, who had worked for Ferrari for several years before switching to McLaren, gave his honest take on Lewis Hamilton’s first days with the Italian team and said:
“Observing from a distance I can say that I think the way it is, at least for how this has been reported, it was a great introduction, of Lewis to Ferrari. To be honest as a fan of Formula One, by having been 15 years at Ferrari before I felt excited myself. To see something that is historic for Formula One, a seven-time world champion going to Ferrari, one of the most iconic teams,” Stella told Sky Sports at the Autosport Awards.
“But ultimately I’m sure they know very well what counts is what’s happening on track. After the initial excitement, I’m sure they will very much focus on making sure that the preparation is good, and on our side, we’ll try and make their life a little bit difficult,” he added.
Lewis Hamilton will bring experience to Ferrari and do his best to restore the team to its glory days in his attempt to win an elusive eighth world championship.
F1 commentator gives his take on Lewis Hamilton’s chance of winning another title at Ferrari
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft feels the 2025 season could be the “best chance” for Lewis Hamilton to win another drivers’ title.
Croft said at the Autosport Awards (via Motorsport Week):
“What I would say is this might be Lewis’ best chance of an eighth World title. Given the season that it could be in terms of teams won’t be throwing developments week after week after week. I do think Ferrari will be the most keen to get the most out of 2025 of the big four teams because it’s so long since they won something.”
Lewis Hamilton signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari that would see him race for them until the end of the 2026 season with an option to extend for another year. The British driver has not a championship since 2020 while the Italian team has not sat atop the sport since the end of the 2008 season.
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