The announcement that Lewis Hamilton will drive for Ferrari in 2025 was, on the very least, a shock.
It was the kind of information that didn’t sound actual whenever you first heard it.
F1’s statistically best driver is becoming a member of F1’s statistically most profitable group.
Hamilton in Ferrari crimson. The person many credit score as the best to ever race in F1 will sit within the seat that folklore says each driver needs they might be in.
The joy, romance, anticipation and intrigue will probably be so gargantuan, that some followers might need to skip 2024 altogether and transfer straight on to 2025.
However as soon as the preliminary shock and emotion wears off, curiosity and confusion can wander into one’s thoughts.
Why would Hamilton, who has gained six championships with Mercedes, depart and be part of a Ferrari outfit that has dissatisfied and failed to attain its lofty requirements for 15 years?
Whereas solely Hamilton is aware of the true reply, it could be onerous to not assume legacy and historical past is on his thoughts.
F1 is a hybrid between a group and particular person sport.
An excellent group is required to construct the automobile and an excellent driver is required to transform that onerous work into profitable races.
One can’t obtain success with out the opposite.
However whereas prize cash in F1 is given out primarily based on the constructors’ world championship, the status for drivers is what they obtain on observe.
Lewis Hamilton has achieved greater than most.
He holds the file for many wins (103), most pole positions (104) and most podiums (197).
And he’s equal with the legendary Michael Schumacher for essentially the most world drivers’ championships with seven.
Emphasis on the phrase “equal”.
Within the pursuit of historical past and legacy, there isn’t any time for equal. There’s the most effective and the remainder.
The F1 group won’t ever unanimously agree on who the best driver ever is. It’s an unattainable title in a sport that evolves with expertise sooner than most others.
However Hamilton, together with Schumacher, are two names with a declare to that ambiguous title.
Whereas Hamilton statistically has a larger profession than Schumacher, the German icon has what many take into account the final word trump card in F1.
He gained for Ferrari.
Successful for the famed Italian group earns F1 drivers an additional stage of stature.
It’s why so many drivers dream of the prospect to put on the scarlet crimson racing swimsuit.
Ought to Hamilton be the one to finish Ferrari’s title drought — very similar to Schumacher ended Ferrari’s close to two-decade drought in 2000 — he would amplify his already legendary standing.
However this transfer — so far as legacy is worried — was not wanted.
Lewis Hamilton will retire as statistically F1’s best driver it doesn’t matter what.
However an eighth drivers’ championship, making his declare as F1’s best winner undisputed, is what this residing legend needs most.
He got here inside touching distance of attaining it in 2021 earlier than it was ripped away from him in controversial circumstances.
Had a late security automobile within the season finale of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix not been referred to as, as Hamilton loved an insurmountable lead over Max Verstappen within the race to determine that 12 months’s champion, this transfer to Ferrari might by no means have occurred.
However by way of the confusion and the controversy of that December night, Verstappen handed Hamilton on the final lap, gained the race, gained the title and denied Sir Lewis his place in historical past.
Since then, Hamilton’s mission has been to win that eighth title that was taken from him, however he has not had the automobile to do it.
The times of Mercedes having the most effective automobile on the grid had been over. Crimson Bull and Verstappen ushered in a brand new period, dominating the sector in historic trend.
Hamilton’s first 15 seasons in F1 had at the least one race win every year. His final two have netted zero victories.
Hamilton is a born winner.
He has moved earlier than. As soon as upon a time it appeared unimaginable that Hamilton, then with one world title, would drive for anybody however McLaren.
However when he felt McLaren couldn’t produce a automobile that might win a championship, he moved to an unproven Mercedes group in 2013.
Greater than a decade has handed and Hamilton discovered himself in the identical predicament — the automobile he was given couldn’t match his willpower for victory.
Regardless of signing a two-year contract extension, Hamilton had the choice to go away on the finish of 2024.
Hamilton’s defection could also be an indication the Mercedes period is formally over and never coming again as we bear in mind.
Probably Ferrari has proven him one thing he believes can problem the Crimson Bull juggernaut.
No matter it’s, offered Hamilton and Mercedes cannot catch Crimson Bull in 2024, the transfer to Ferrari is a big gamble for greatness.
An acknowledgement that Hamilton doesn’t imagine Mercedes has the group or the automobile to make it again to the highest.
He’ll finish essentially the most profitable team-driver partnership in historical past within the hope that he might be the primary Ferrari driver since 2007 to win the world championship.
There’s danger related to this transfer.
If Mercedes marched their method again to the entrance, with a world-class driver in George Russell, then Hamilton would have jumped from a ship that was by no means sinking.
But when he had been to win a historic title at Ferrari it could be the crescendo to arguably the best profession F1 has seen.
A storybook ending so many followers have dreamed of.
The critically acclaimed film climax that turns into a part of in style tradition.
The ultimate piece to the mega jigsaw puzzle.
It’s the gamble Hamilton has taken in his quest to be the undisputed champion in Formulation 1 historical past — and if anybody can hit the jackpot, it is Lewis.
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