Lewis Hamilton is on the point of starting a brand new chapter in his illustrious profession, getting ready to make his race debut with one of the crucial iconic groups in Formulation 1 historical past as he strains up on the grid for the season opener in Melbourne.
Expectations are excessive as Lewis Hamilton embarks on this problem with Ferrari, a group the place attaining what he goals for has not been finished in over half a century. His arrival in Maranello carries vital weight, as he makes an attempt to safe a historic eighth world championship—one thing no driver has ever completed.
At 40 years outdated, the British driver is defying the standard age limits of F1 success. If he manages to say one other title, he won’t solely surpass Michael Schumacher’s long-standing report but in addition change into the primary driver since Jack Brabham in 1966 to win a championship at this stage of his profession. It’s a feat that might cement his legacy even additional, proving that have and ability can nonetheless conquer youth within the trendy period of Formulation 1.
With Ferrari exhibiting robust competitiveness on the finish of the earlier season, Sky Sports activities commentator and F1 professional David Croft believes that 2025 might current Hamilton along with his greatest alternative to win one other title. The regulation modifications set for 2026 are anticipated to disrupt the present hierarchy, making this season probably the final likelihood to capitalize on a longtime pecking order earlier than the game undergoes a serious reset.
When discussing whether or not Hamilton faces extra stress to ship, former Dutch racing driver Jeroen Bleekemolen shared his ideas with RacingNews365.nl, explaining why the expectations surrounding Lewis Hamilton differ from these confronted by Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel throughout their time at Ferrari.
Why Lewis Hamilton’s stress differs from Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari struggles
The British driver is set to make sure that his tenure at Ferrari doesn’t mirror these of Vettel and Alonso, each of whom got here shut however finally did not safe a title with the Scuderia. Whereas each drivers arrived with excessive expectations and immense expertise, they left with out fulfilling their championship ambitions, falling brief regardless of a number of near-misses.
Based on Jeroen Bleekemolen, the extent of stress Hamilton faces is essentially totally different. In contrast to Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, who had unfinished enterprise in F1 after they joined the Maranello group, Lewis Hamilton has already achieved nearly each report doable within the sport. His legacy is safe, and there may be little left for him to show. As a substitute of combating for validation, Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari is about chasing an bold remaining problem—one which, if profitable, would solely additional solidify his place within the historical past books quite than outline his profession.
The Dutch skilled racing driver famous that at Ferrari, the stress is at all times immense, because the group faces extreme criticism in the event that they fail to supply a aggressive automobile. He identified that even with Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, the group was unable to safe a championship, and regardless of Alonso coming shut twice, his time at Ferrari was finally thought to be a failure.
He went on to clarify that Hamilton now not must show something, as he’s at present the best driver within the sport. Based on Jeroen Bleekemolen, the one driver who might probably problem Hamilton’s legacy is Max Verstappen. He urged that even when Hamilton had a poor season and determined to depart Formulation 1, his standing as the best of all time would stay intact. Nevertheless, he additionally believed that whereas Hamilton ought to keep away from placing an excessive amount of stress on himself, his robust motivation might make him unwilling to accept something lower than victory, with second place more likely to frustrate him.
The important thing statistic that might solidify Lewis Hamilton’s place among the many biggest drivers in F1 historical past
The Italian aspect will characterize the primary occasion in Hamilton’s illustrious F1 profession the place he competes with a group powered by an engine apart from Mercedes. Having debuted in 2007 with McLaren, which utilized V8 engines, Hamilton’s affiliation with Mercedes has been a defining function of his profession.
It’s usually mentioned {that a} true F1 nice is measured by their adaptability and their capacity to safe a number of world championships with totally different groups. This can be a feat Juan Manuel Fangio exemplified along with his 5 titles throughout numerous producers.
Though Lewis Hamilton has already clinched championships with two totally different groups, successful with a 3rd engine provider, significantly one as famend as Ferrari, would undoubtedly cement his standing amongst F1’s all-time greats.
One potential situation that might lead Hamilton to retire sooner than anticipated is that if Ferrari struggles to be aggressive all through the season. Nevertheless, it appears possible that Ferrari might provide him a professional shot at capturing his first championship since 2021, preserving his championship aspirations alive.
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