He turns 40 years old tomorrow and as he marks another completion of the Earth’s orbit around the sun, he will no doubt find his mind wandering to the forthcoming Formula 1 season.
As the team prepares to make use of its allocated 1000km around the Fiorano test circuit this month.
There are, of course, those who will argue that at 40, Hamilton is too old and that he has lost his competitive sharpness.
History confirms this argument. Pioneers such as Juan Manuel Fangio, who was 46 when he won his fifth and final title, and Giuseppe Farina, who was 43, are names from the early days of F1.
In the current era, no driver has been named world champion after reaching the age of 40. The closest cases were Nigel Mansell, who was 39, and Alain Prost, who achieved that age shortly before his championship at 38. Achieving these titles occurred relatively recently, in 1992 and 1993.
When searching for examples of individuals in other sports who achieved championship results in their 40s, a notably concise list emerges.
Notable examples include tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who won her final major title, the mixed doubles at the US Open 2006, just before her 50th birthday, and boxer Bernard Hopkins, who unified the light heavyweight titles of the WBA and IBF in 2014 at the age of 49.
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, driving the Mercedes F1 W15 car, prepares to make a stop at the pit stop.
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Make no mistake, the odds are stacked against Hamilton – but he wouldn’t have it any other way.
When Hamilton’s back is up against the wall, he is most motivated. He must react aggressively and fight back whether that takes the form of winning races, earning titles, or altering how others perceive and think about him.
What’s the main intention of adding this motivation?
He has an argument he wishes to demonstrate.
**should be printed out and stuck on Hamilton’s bedroom door as a daily reminder.**
“We are seeking a new challenge with Ferrari, rather than Ferrari seeking us.” Circumstances at Mercedes had become stagnant, it was time to move on to a new challenge.
Hamilton still has unfinished business, specifically the pursuit of an eighth world title that slipped through his grasp last season. This setback continues to bother him, and he is resolute in his quest for redemption.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12
Photo by: Erik Junius
He might have thought that, given that Mercedes hadn’t produced a car that was fast consistently throughout the entire season, Ferrari now provided him with the best opportunity.
Considering recent developments, he would be correct, with Italy emerging from preseason testing as one of the top teams and typically performing well at the beginning of the campaign.
to join Mercedes.
The decision appeared counterintuitive at first glance. Why would he trade proven winners for struggling Mercedes? However, with a win in his first season with the Silver Arrows and six subsequent drivers’ titles, the move proved extremely astute.
The final point is that it remains his choice whether to continue in F1.
Following the aftermath of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with a record amount of time without a win, along with other business ventures, against the backdrop of significant new regulations set to be introduced in 2026, and finishing a season longer than ever before, Hamilton could have chosen to leave the F1 circuit. As for who might blame him, it’s easy to see why such a decision would be perfectly understandable.
The fact that he has remained in the series and has taken on a new challenge at this stage of his career proves he is confident he still meets his high standards.
F1 Drivers Parade: Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team
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It is already evident that he retains the speed to secure victories, evident from his performances at the 2024 British GP and Belgian GP, which counteracts the notion that he is not fast enough.
The other significant factor determining why this is the ideal time for him to join Ferrari is examining the partnership from a different perspective.
Ferrari has significantly improved under the leadership of Fred Vasseur. The team’s organizational structure appears to be well-organized and the infamous series of poor strategy calls at least decreased in 2024. Most notably, the car has consistently shown exceptional speed over the past few seasons.
The missing factor has been a winning culture on the world championship stage.
Similar to how McLaren needed to re-educate itself on what it requires to consistently challenge and win, Ferrari has also been missing that drive. However, Hamilton will now bring that to Maranello.
Who needs to shift up a gear on race days.
Yes, the odds seem to be against him. At 40 years old, this is undoubtedly his most significant challenge in his Formula 1 career, encompassing unprecedented levels of anticipation and intense scrutiny. However, that’s exactly why the timing is ideal. It permits him to establish a new standard and rewrite the record books.
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Ferrari to provide extensive testing for Lewis Hamilton in the coming weeks.
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