Lewis Hamilton Ferrari F1 DEADLINE revealed as 2025 championship issue emerges

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton Ferrari DEADLINE revealed as championship issue emerges

Lewis Hamilton's debut F1 season with Ferrari is fast approaching

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Sunday 2 February 2025 19:59 Updated: 12:32

Lewis Hamilton has been handed a deadline for his championship chances at Ferrari to be assessed ahead of what could be cracked up to be one of the most competitive seasons in the sport's recent history.

Formula 1 celebrates its 75th anniversary as a championship this year, with all ten teams set to reveal their 2025 machinery at the O2 in London later this month in a first-of-its-kind celebration.

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Hamilton's move from Mercedes has fans and pundits alike wondering how the order will fare after the major shakeup, with the seven-time champion leaving the Silver Arrows after 12 successful years with the team.

Taking the 40-year-old's seat is Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli, who heads into his rookie season to race alongside Hamilton's former team-mate, George Russell.

Hamilton himself has now joined Ferrari star Charles Leclerc, with the first pictures of the duo as team-mates sending fans wild on social media ahead of their on-track debut at the season opener in less than two months time.

The 2025 season promises an exciting championship battle

How will Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton get on as team-mates?

Ferrari have finally dropped the official 2025 merch, click here to shop Hamilton's debut kit in red.

Brundle declares driver lineup a 'one horse race'

Speaking in a discussion over the upcoming season with Sky F1, Brundle revealed the time frame for when he believes it will be clear how Hamilton will fare among the rest of the pack.

"It should be one of the greatest seasons in Formula 1 history, it should be so close and whoever wins it will win a great championship, but until we see the cars on track and probably not until the Saturday of Melbourne, the first race, where they're low fuel, flat out, maximum power giving it everything, fresh tyres, will we truly know the pace of who's just aced it."

"Let's wait and see, I think it's it's very brave to write anybody off or write anybody into a championship-winning position."

Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle has revealed an expected deadline in relation to Hamilton's 2025 prospects

Although many will be hoping that the change of scenery will provide Hamilton with the boost to claim a record-breaking eighth drivers' championship victory, Brundle pointed out a potential issue that Ferrari could face with such a strong driver lineup.

"I think it's different for McLaren a little bit because they’ve got two drivers who could take points off each other, Ferrari that could well happen too, Max and Red Bull, a one horse race, we’ve got Antonelli in the Mercedes he's got a lot to learn so Mercedes could be a one horse race with George Russell and I think that'll play into their hands for the drivers' championship.

"The constructors' championship is a different deal so I think McLaren have probably got the biggest challenge there, but if Hamilton and Leclerc are close together, they'll start stealing points off each other and that is what will make the drivers' world championship difficult."

Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Formula 1 Christian Horner