With pre-season testing wrapped up and the first race in Albert Park just around the corner, Ferrari heads into the 2025 season with a renewed sense of optimism, and team principal Fred Vasseur has pulled off one of the biggest coups in F1 history, securing seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton to join Charles Leclerc in the iconic red. Despite an impressive 2024 season, Carlos Sainz lost out and joined Williams Racing.
When did talks start?
Ever since the news came out 12 months ago, a thought on everybody’s mind has been how this blockbuster move came to life. In an exclusive chat with the French weekly magazine, Autohebdo, Vasseur has lifted the lid on the timeline and Ferrari’s approach to the season ahead.
Vasseur confirmed that initial talks with Hamilton began at the 2023 Monaco GP, on his birthday, May 28. Despite Hamilton having signed a contract extension with Mercedes in September, Ferrari capitalized on a break clause, setting the stage for his seismic switch.
“I am very aware of the opportunity I have to be where I am. I’m doing well in life, I’m doing what I love with the two drivers I dreamed of having. Regarding Lewis? We started to talk about a possible transfer together during the Monaco GP in 2023.”
Hamilton was stunned by Vasseur’s 2023 call, initially shaking with emotion, but soon realized that joining Ferrari was the right decision.
With two world-class drivers under one roof, the inevitable question arises whether Ferrari have a clear number one. Vasseur remains adamant that both drivers will contribute to the team’s overall success.
“For me, the success of one does not mean the failure of the other because the two of them contribute to the success of the group. One may be champion, but the two will be united for the constructors’ championship,” Vasseur said.
Fred Vasseur shares Ferrari’s vision for 2025 with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
Ferrari enters 2025 as a title contender, but competition will be fierce with Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes all in the mix. Ferrari were solid last year until their development strategy collapsed midway through the season in Spain. Thus, Vasseur asserts that the development race will be key.
“We’re all going to have to stop development a little earlier than usual because of the technical revolution in 2026. The potential we’re going to show in the first races, and the performance we’re going to achieve, will be difficult to change radically, as was the case last year. The question of further development will come up every 15 days.”
While a lot of people suggested that the Maranello-based squad will be the favourites for the title, Vasseur remains wary of McLaren’s potential. Ferrari ended 2024 strongly, scoring the most points in the final eight races, but McLaren have clearly had a pace advantage over the prancing horses.
When probed whether he thinks Ferrari will be the favourites, Vasseur said, “I think they’re forgetting McLaren, who are in a better position than us. This is the last year of the new regulations, and performance gains are harder and harder to come by.”
“It’s true that we scored the most points in the last eight races of 2024, but they had a real performance advantage that they didn’t exploit as much as they should have because of small problems or missed opportunities.”
Vasseur added, “We have to manage to gain two or three-tenths more than them. If we can do that, we have every chance.”
Hamilton’s Ferrari move is the season’s biggest storyline. The most successful driver joins F1’s most legendary team, bringing immense pressure and expectation. Melbourne will provide the first real answers.
