Lewis Hamilton is about to affix a choose group of British drivers who’ve raced for Ferrari in System 1, changing into the thirteenth Briton to take action when he makes his debut within the Australian Grand Prix this March.
With the 2025 System 1 season now simply weeks away, the thrill is constructing for the opening race in Melbourne, marking its return because the season opener for the primary time since 2019. Hamilton has solely triumphed in Australia twice, securing victories in 2008 and 2015.
In the latest race held in Melbourne in 2019, Valtteri Bottas claimed victory, defeating pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton by a commanding 20.886 seconds for a Mercedes one-two end. Bottas’ well-known “To whom it could concern” radio message following the race stays some of the memorable moments in latest F1 historical past.
Now, the British driver will likely be hoping to repeat his success as he embarks on his Ferrari journey, making his extremely anticipated debut on the Australian GP on March 16. After departing Mercedes in February final 12 months, Hamilton signed a profitable two-year contract with Ferrari price as much as £83 million yearly. Following a 12 months of farewells with the Silver Arrows, Lewis Hamilton is now absolutely immersed within the Ferrari workforce, having accomplished his first laps of their 2025 F1 automobile at Fiorano final Wednesday.
Hamilton will grow to be the thirteenth British driver to race for Ferrari, and notably, the primary full-time Briton to take action since Eddie Irvine in 2000. Nigel Mansell, a former Ferrari driver, has shared his enthusiasm for Hamilton’s new chapter. Mansell, who raced for Ferrari in the course of the 1989 and 1990 seasons earlier than reaching his drivers’ title with Williams in 1992, expressed that seeing Hamilton win on his Ferrari debut on the Albert Park circuit in Australia could be a “dream come true.” For the previous Ferrari driver, such a victory would set the right tone for Hamilton’s new chapter with the Scuderia. Nigel Mansell talked about to the Each day Mail that it will be a dream come true for Lewis to win the primary race with Ferrari, as it will set the tone for the remainder of the season.
The previous System 1 driver expressed that it will be an extremely becoming begin to Hamilton’s Ferrari profession if he had been to win the Australian Grand Prix. He famous that Ferrari has had sturdy performances in Melbourne lately, with victories from Sebastian Vettel in 2017 and 2018, Charles Leclerc in 2022, and Carlos Sainz in 2024.
Mansell’s dream would solely be additional fulfilled if Hamilton had been to safe an eighth drivers’ title with Ferrari. He believes it will be actually “magical” if the seven-time champion might convey Ferrari their first F1 drivers’ championship since Kimi Raikkonen’s triumph in 2007, solidifying Hamilton’s legacy whereas reviving the Scuderia’s profitable streak.
The 71-year-old went on to say that Ferrari has been lengthy overdue for each the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. He expressed his hope that with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, the workforce would lastly obtain it. He added that it will be magical for Hamilton to win one other world championship and wished him all the very best in his pursuit.