“Not a marketing operation”: Former Ferrari boss highlights key reason behind Lewis Hamilton joining the legendary F1 team

Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo talked about Lewis Hamilton joining the Italian team. He claimed that Hamilton's arrival to the team was not a marketing stunt but something much more than that.

Before the 2024 F1 season, Ferrari announced that they had signed Hamilton for the 2025 season. This shook the F1 space and motorsport industry since Hamilton's name was deeply connected to Mercedes. Hence, the 2024 season marked his last year with the Silver Arrows. Many were excited to see the seven-time world champion race for the most successful F1 team in history.

Recently speaking on Rai.tv, Montezemolo praised Hamilton and said that he was like Verstappen in certain aspects. Furthermore, he claimed that his arrival in Ferrari was not a publicity stunt. He added that the seven-time world champion wanted to end his career in the Scarlet team and win championships with them.

“Lewis Hamilton is a phenomenon like Verstappen. His arrival at Ferrari is not a marketing operation: he wants to end his career by winning in red," Montezemolo said, via F1 Oversteer.

Lewis Hamilton will be driving for Ferrari from 2025 alongside Charles Leclerc.

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Luca di Montezemolo addresses future Lewis Hamilton-Charles Leclerc partnership and potential tension at Ferrari

While former Ferrari chairman, Luca di Montezemolo, claimed that Lewis Hamilton wanted to win with the team, he also touched on how he would fair against Charles Leclerc.

Speaking to Rai.tv, Montezemolo explained that Hamilton's arrival in Ferrari could be a risk since he would challenge the Monegasque, who has not won a single world championship despite having decent races and seasons in the past.

Montezemolo was excited to see Ferrari's future as the team tried to close the gap to McLaren and fight other top teams on the grid. He also touched on how the team's management and strategies should be clear and decisive.

“But the choice of Lewis, on the one hand, is a risk because it takes a champion who has won a lot and who comes to Ferrari to win. On the other hand, there is Leclerc, who, despite having good races, has never been champion, and the years go by," Montezemolo said.

“It will be a very interesting year for Ferrari, provided that it manages to bridge the gap with McLaren to start competitive from the first race. There must also be clarity on the management within the team,” he added.

Right after Hamilton's Ferrari announcement, it was clear that he would replace Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard drove his last race with the Italian team in Abu Dhabi and received a heartwarming farewell. He will now move to Williams in 2025.