"The thought of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in a red overall, it won't suit him": When Toto Wolff addressed the 'Hamilton to Ferrari' rumors

Lewis Hamilton will drive for Ferrari this season after signing a blockbuster deal last year, marking the end of his iconic era with Mercedes. The 40-year-old is one of the most competitive drivers in the sport's history. He spent most of his F1 career with the Silver Arrows.

Despite his long-term dedication to the team, there were certain rumors in 2023. At the end of that year, his contract with Mercedes was set to expire. Considering the team had not extended it for a long time, rumors of his move to a different team began taking shape; understandably, Ferrari.

The Italian outfit is currently the oldest team on the grid. They have more Constructors' Championships than any other team, and driving for them is simply considered to be part of their heritage.

While the rumors of his move to Ferrari in 2024 spread across the F1 paddock, Hamilton denied when he was asked about the Scuderia contacting him. Subsequently, Mercedes announced his two-year contract extension.

In the sixth season of Netflix's Drive to Survive, Toto Wolff claimed that the red overalls at Ferrari wouldn't suit Hamilton, addressing the rumors.

"The thought of Lewis at Ferrari, in a red overall, it wouldn't suit him," Wolff said.

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff in 2016 (Source: Getty)

This turned out to be quite an irony as shortly before the start of the 2024 season, Ferrari announced that they signed Hamilton for 2025. He used the exit clause in his Mercedes contract to bid farewell to the team.

Multiple reasons were analyzed for his move; a major one being Mercedes' performance in the current era. The team remained winless in 2023 and had clinched only one victory before that. Moreover, Hamilton did not win a race between the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP and the 2024 British GP.

Another angle of his departure from Mercedes was understood to be the fact that the team only gave him a two-year extension which was the same as his teammate George Russell. However, none of these reasons were confirmed.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. The junior driver was in his first Formula 2 season when the German outfit signed him for this season.

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Will Ferrari see the battle of teammates with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc?

Lewis Hamilton will join Charles Leclerc on the team, replacing Carlos Sainz. Leclerc has been a part of the crew, since the 2019 F1 season, delivering consistent performances. He and Hamilton have similar levels of competitiveness.

Ferrari had a strong car by the end of the last season, promising good momentum, heading into 2025. This could also prove to be a battle for the championship.

The team has not won a title since the 2008 season. If they are strong enough to contend for the Constructors' Championship, then, Hamilton and Leclerc will have to work together to win it for the team. However, if there would be a chance for them to lead the Drivers' Championship as well, it would be hard to assess if any one driver would settle for it.

Hamilton is seeking to win his record-breaking eighth championship, meanwhile, Leclerc is still to win his first. The situation was different with Carlos Sainz in the team (although they had their fair share of battles), but with Hamilton, the teammates could potentially share a battle for the title.

Ferrari has recently allowed its drivers to battle for positions. However, it would have to remain careful so as not to lose the Constructors' title chances in the fight for the Drivers'.