Truth behind Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari move revealed...and why it doesn't bode well for Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel stand side by side at the 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

Ferrari

Truth behind Vettel's Ferrari move revealed...and why it doesn't bode well for Hamilton

Sebastian Vettel's F1 career fizzled out at Ferrari

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 20 December 2025 11:52

Lewis Hamilton's approach at Ferrari has mirrored that of fellow F1 champion and friend Sebastian Vettel, which may not bode well for the British racing legend.

Following four consecutive world titles at Red Bull, Vettel made the dream switch to Ferrari in 2015. Despite claiming 14 race victories with Ferrari, the German driver's championship dreams never materialised with the team.

Still, Vettel was part of the championship fight in a Ferrari car, going up against Hamilton in 2017 and 2018.

Article continues under video

The seven-time world championship himself made the fairytale move to the Prancing Horse in 2025, but so far the switch threatens to torch Hamilton's legacy as he emerged from his worst F1 season since joining the sport back in 2007.

Hamilton has put his all into trying to turn Ferrari's performances around in 2025, sending memos and recommendations to the team in a bid to try and restructure them into a championship winning outfit.

Yet, a lesson from the Vettel era does not bode well for Hamilton, suggesting that this approach may not be successful at a team like Ferrari.

How Sebastian Vettel approached Ferrari switch

An excerpt from a book concerning Vettel's Ferrari years, 'Vettel, Cavallino senza fili' by Alberto Antonini – Ferrari's former head of press office – has recently surfaced and shed light on the impact of his arrival. He wrote: "One of my earliest memories of my years in Gestione Sportiva (Ferrari's sports management division) is seeing a handwritten note on one of the desks that really mattered. It was a to-do list, and at the bottom was a note: “Seb is a pain in the a***”. Those were the exact words."

"That sentence simply meant that at the beginning of their relationship, the new driver and the historic team were sizing each other up. And Sebastian Vettel was joining Ferrari on his own terms. That is, with the stubbornness that has always distinguished him."

"Even if it meant stepping on a few toes right from the start. 'We didn't do it that way at Red Bull.' How many times did I hear that phrase in the early days of our collaboration?"

Whether Ferrari's internal structure remained the same upon Hamilton's arrival is unknown, but it gives some idea what new drivers at the iconic marque can be faced with.

F1 HEADLINES: ‘Game over’ for Hamilton as Ferrari boss explores 2026 reshuffle

F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Sebastian Vettel