Kevin Turner Chief Editor kevin.turner@autosport.com
It’s a week since the news broke of the biggest driver move in Formula 1 history, but it still seems incredible. Rumours of Lewis Hamilton going to Ferrari have circulated on and off for years, but it seemed unlikely Hamilton would give up such a good Mercedes gig.
Being brutal, the move is not logical. Mercedes would surely be more likely to give Hamilton the chance of an eighth world crown than Ferrari, which hasn’t taken a title since 2008. Recent designs have been tricky to drive and Charles Leclerc is arguably the fastest driver in the field over a single lap. An easy ride it will not be.
But there’s no denying the romance surrounding Ferrari. Most, if not all, drivers want to race for the famous Italian team. And many believe that Hamilton’s hero, Ayrton Senna, would have ended up there following his stint at Williams. The fact that Hamilton’s old mate Fred Vasseur is team boss must also have been a factor.
Given the strength of Red Bull at the moment (despite internal tensions, see p6) and Ferrari’s drought, a Hamilton title in red seems unlikely. But, after Hamilton took his seventh crown in 2020, we asked what he could
