One of the most sensational headlines from last year was Lewis Hamilton signing with Ferrari F1 for the 2025 season, and Mika Häkkinen has weighed in on the situation. The seven-time world champion will don the red of Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc, fulfilling a childhood dream of racing for the Italian team.
Yet, his move has been met with scepticism. Critics question whether Hamilton, who will turn 40 today, still has the raw speed and consistency to compete at the very top, especially after a challenging final year at Mercedes.
Häkkinen cites 2001 struggles
Former two-time world champion Mika Häkkinen, in an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com, discussed the new chapter Lewis Hamilton is taking. Drawing from his own experiences, the 20-time race winner provided insight into what might be unfolding in Hamilton’s career.
In his final year in the sport in 2001, the Flying Finn won at Silverstone and Indianapolis. However, he had a lot of bad days as well, lacking speed at times according to the main himself.
“Well, I tell you what, I retired in 2001 and, in that year 2001, I started losing my edge,” Häkkinen reflected. “Sometimes I was very quick. Sometimes I wasn’t there.”
Hamilton’s 2024 season was marked by struggles, particularly in qualifying. Against teammate George Russell, he suffered his worst defeat ever, being out-qualified 19 times to just five and outperformed in 13 races.
While Hamilton remained formidable on race days, his lack of single-lap pace raised questions about whether his challenges stemmed from Mercedes’ difficulties or a natural decline in his abilities.
Häkkinen’s story offers a unique parallel. “I lost two or three-tenths and those two or three-tenths are a big, big problem,” the Finn admitted. “So, at that time, I decided to tell the team that, ‘Thank you, this has been an incredible experience and the journey of my career and my life in Formula 1, but now, for me, it’s time to step out.’”
Mika Hakkinen: Lewis Hamilton is the right person to answer what’s happening with him
The Flying Finn won consecutive titles in 1998 and 1999. He was dethroned in 2000 after a close fight with Michael Schumacher. By 2001, it was clear his once-dominant form had faded, though he still managed two wins, the last at the US Grand Prix. He announced a sabbatical for 2002, but it soon became apparent that this was his quiet farewell, marking the end of his career in F1.
While Häkkinen made the difficult choice to retire, he acknowledges that every driver’s journey is different. “What’s happening with Lewis is impossible to comment on what’s happening in his mind and, on what’s happening at the moment, why the performance is not there 100 percent,” he said. “I’m not the right person to answer for that – it’s Lewis, but that was my story.”
Hamilton himself has hinted at the difficulty of adapting to the new generation of cars introduced under recent regulations. He’s suggested that these machines don’t suit his driving style. This compounds the struggles Mercedes faced in unlocking the full potential of the W14 and W15 cars.
Mika Häkkinen was self-aware about his decline in pace and suggested Lewis Hamilton to be the same to Ferrari F1. “If something similar has happened to him, he has to speak,” he advised. “He’s the right person to answer that, but he has committed now for the future. So, I’m sure he will work on it to get things right for this year.”
Ferrari to opt a darker shade of red for their 2025 challenger
As per reports, Ferrari will unveil a bold new livery for the 2025 season on February 18th during the F175 event at London’s O2 Arena. The updated design will showcase a deeper, more intense red shade, moving away from the tones used in previous cars. Despite the change, the livery will stay true to Ferrari’s iconic style, maintaining the essence of the team’s legendary colour.
Ferrari’s new car, codenamed Project 677, is set to debut in pre-season testing in Bahrain. Hamilton is already scheduled for private testing in older machinery at Fiorano and Barcelona.
He will be teamed with Leclerc, who enjoyed a stellar 2024 campaign. Hamilton will face a new set of challenges against a teammate renowned for his qualifying prowess. Many view the 2025 season as the ultimate litmus test for Hamilton’s capabilities.
As Ferrari seeks championship glory, Hamilton’s move is a gamble for both. It will be interesting to watch whether Hamilton can silence the doubters and rediscover his mojo in 2025.
