Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari makes the team more attractive for technicians, Adrian Newey: former driver Ivan Capelli

Former Ferrari racer Ivan Capelli felt that Lewis Hamilton joining the Italian team would make the prospect of joining the squad more attractive to technicians like Adrian Newey.

The Briton announced early in the year that the 2024 F1 season would be his last at Mercedes and he would be moving to the Italian team in 2025.

Since the announcement, speculation has been rife over who Lewis Hamilton could take with him to the Italian team. The former Ferrari driver feels Hamilton joining the team would give the entire squad a massive boost. Coming from Mercedes, a team where he had almost a decade-long period of dominance, Hamilton will bring a wealth of experience to the Scuderia.

Capelli also felt that Lewis Hamilton joining the team would make Ferrari attractive for technicians as well to jump ship, personnel who earlier may not have been willing to move to Maranello. Specifically citing Adrian Newey as a prospective addition, Capelli told Autosprint:

“Hamilton has an enormous wealth of experience, he can make an important contribution to Ferrari. He can provide different rhythms and visions for future planning. He alone will not distort performance, because he drives the car and does not design it, however, it could open up future horizons for some engineers who until now have not considered a job at Ferrari."

He added:

"Seeing Hamilton join Ferrari makes the team more attractive also for the technicians, and above all I say Newey, because in any case we are witnessing a seven-time world champion arriving in Maranello giving the idea that there is a future projected towards something different. Beyond marketing and the return on the commercial level, I believe this is precisely the additional value of Hamilton to Ferrari, I believe this is the focal point of this arrival.”

Lewis Hamilton's last switch of teams worked wonders

The last time Lewis Hamilton switched teams in F1, he went on to win six World Championships. The Briton moved from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013. At the time he decided to make the move, the German team was only a midfield contender at best.

With the new regulations taking effect in 2014 however, things changed. Mercedes built the best power unit on the grid by some distance and ended up dominating the era. During the eight consecutive years of title contention from 2014 to 2021, the German team won all eight constructors titles and Hamilton won six of driver's titles.

Once again, the 2025 F1 season will see Lewis Hamilton switch to a team just before the regulations change in 2026. Will history repeat itself? It would be interesting to see if it does.