Hamilton: Ferrari has winning mentality in DNA

Lewis Hamilton has said that there is “magic” in Ferrari as he settles down to begin a new phase of his career with the Italian team. He made this known after his first experience driving the new Ferrari SF-25, which left him optimistic about the team’s potential for the 2025 season. 

After a 12-year tenure with Mercedes, where he secured six of his seven world championships, Hamilton is now hopeful that his new partnership with the Scuderia will lead to further success, giving him his eighth world championship title. 

Ferrari’s SF-25 has been described as “completely new,” featuring innovative designs aimed at boosting performance. Initial reports suggest that the car could deliver a substantial gain of 0.4 seconds per lap compared to its predecessor, which would greatly improve Hamilton’s chances of winning with the team. 

Hamilton expressed confidence in Ferrari’s capabilities, as he touched on their history and achievements: “I’ve been fortunate to work in two teams previously, work with great organizations, and you’ve seen in the history of the sport where you’ve got great teams, and things don’t align and they end up, some of them, not winning the world championships.

“But this team already has an insane legacy and they’re not short of how many world championships they’ve won. So, I think in their DNA, they have that winning mentality.”

He also added that he recognizes that things will get more competitive this year as more teams will step up, going by last year’s performance: “The competition is fierce, and we’ve had great results from other iconic teams, like McLaren and Red Bull and obviously, Mercedes. 

“It’s going to be close up the top. But I’ve got a great teammate. The energy that I’m receiving from the team, there’s magic here.”

The British driver is quite sure Ferrari is ready to dominate and win, given his history with winning teams, as he added that they have “every ingredient they need to win a championship.”

The historical significance of driving for Ferrari is not lost on Hamilton either. He has long admired the team’s legacy, particularly during Michael Schumacher’s era of dominance. For Hamilton, as he stated weeks back, being a Ferrari driver represents not just a professional challenge but also the realization of a childhood dream.