Lewis Hamilton F1 news: Astonishing Ferrari prediction made after iconic debut

Lewis Hamilton

Astonishing Hamilton Ferrari prediction made after iconic F1 debut

Lewis Hamilton is preparing for the F1 2025 season with Ferrari

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Wednesday 22 January 2025 12:59 Updated: 19:04

Lewis Hamilton hasn't even been at Ferrari for a week yet already his stunning pace is predicted for greater things in Formula 1.

Hamilton officially arrived at Maranello on Monday where he took the world by storm posing next to an iconic Ferrari F40 while wearing a Ferragamo suit.

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The former Mercedes driver announced he would leave the German team for Ferrari after the 2024 F1 campaign having won six world championships there in 12 seasons - adding to his 2008 McLaren title.

It leaves him on an equal amount of championships as Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher, and he will now hope to eclipse that record of seven at a team where the German starred in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Lewis Hamilton has joined Ferrari for the F1 2025 season

Lewis Hamilton hopes to eclipse Michael Schumacher at Ferrari

When will Hamilton make his Ferrari F1 debut?

Hamilton will make his Ferrari race debut at the opening race of the F1 2025 season at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16, and very soon after that he will face his first real test in front of the Italian 'Tifosi'.

May 18 brings the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Italy and Hamilton-mania is set to run wild as he races in Italy for the first time in Ferrari colours.

While it remains wildly unclear how competitive the new Ferrari will be come the opening race let alone by May, expectations are already sky high for the 40-year-old looking to become outright the greatest F1 driver of all time.

Lewis Hamilton will be team-mates with Charles Leclerc

According to a GPFans poll, fans predict a clean sweep from Hamilton at Imola with 45 per cent of readers believing he will take pole position and victory.

However, other fans have taken a more modest view, with 29 per cent predicting a podium. Fifteen per cent have gone with him finishing in the points and off the podium, while seven per cent back a race win without the pole position.

Only a fraction of voters think the weekend will be a near total write off for Hamilton, with two per cent insisting he will take pole but no points, and one per cent saying he will leave Imola with no points or positives at all.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Formula 1 Daniel Ricciardo Maranello