F1 news: Lewis Hamilton hails ‘incredible’ rise of Ferrari and McLaren
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has revealed his admiration for the performances of rival teams Ferrari and McLaren in recent months, saying they have been ‘quite incredible’.
McLaren currently top the Constructors’ Championship leaderboard on 593 points, with Ferrari in second place on 557 points and Red Bull Racing third on 544 points.
After a troubled season which started with the announcement of Hamilton’s departure at the end of the campaign, Mercedes trail in the trio’s wake on 382 points.
In this article, Sports News Blitz writer George Russell takes a look at the Brit’s decision to move to Ferrari and considers what it means for Charles Leclerc.
Tough season for former champion
As things stand, Hamilton is way down in seventh in the Drivers’ Championship standings, having racked up a disappointing 190 points ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Now in his 12th and final season with Mercedes, he admits that his attention is already turning to next season.
"I'm very interested in my future, of course. And so, in that respect, I keep an eye [out], yeah. Watching everything that happens,” Hamilton told Sky Sports.
When asked about the difference between the Mercedes and Ferrari cars, he said: “You know, we all watch the videos — all the drivers — we all watch the onboard laps, and we’re always trying to see where we can gain time. And there are some cars that just react differently.”
“And you're trying to figure out how you can find that within your balance or get the team to develop the car in that direction.”
Referencing the recent Brazilian GP where he was overtaken by rookies such as Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson, Hamilton dismissed the Mercedes W15 model as the worst car he's ever driven: “That was a disaster of a weekend, guys — the worst the car has ever been.”
READ MORE: F1 news: Launch event for new F1 season confirmed for 2025 at London O2 Arena
Hamilton drops Mercedes for Ferrari
The seven-time World Champion had two straight winless seasons in 2022 and 2023, the longest losing streak of his decorated F1 career.
And after Mercedes failed to adjust to the ground-effect regulations, he made the difficult decision to quit his long-time employers after 11 successful years come the end of the season.
With one eye on winning an unprecedented eighth Drivers’ Championship, Hamilton announced his intention to join Ferrari in 2025, where he will reunite with his old mentor Fred Vasseur. On the role that the current Ferrari team principal had in his relocation, Hamilton simply said: “I’ve got a great relationship with Fred.”
Significant impact predicted
Charles Leclerc, for one, is expecting Hamilton to make a significant impact at Ferrari.
The Monegasque firmly believes that the former champion’s level of experience will benefit the squad as well as provide extra motivation to both Leclerc and the team.
In particular, Leclerc is looking forward to having the Brit as a driving partner.
Widely revered for his race management, tyre preservation, and ability to extract the most from any car, Hamilton is sure to be an asset at Ferrari.
Leclerc, known for his raw speed and sometime struggles with consistency under pressure, could ultimately learn some valuable insights from Hamilton’s approach to high-stakes racing.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Las Vegas Grand Prix analysis: Lando Norris in last chance saloon in Sin City
