Hamilton announced before the start of the 2024 season that he would be ditching the Brackley outfit with whom he managed to claim six of his seven world championship titles.
However, 2024 was a disappointing year for Hamilton, only finishing seventh in the drivers' championship and being outperformed by Mercedes team-mate George Russell.
Hamilton's Ferrari challenge
Hamilton did manage to claim two grand prix victories in 2024, taking his all-time leading tally to a staggering 105 wins across his career.
His qualifying performances in particular, however, were well below his usual standards. Russell outqualified Hamilton at 19 out of 24 events, and managed to claim four pole positions to Hamilton's zero.
Next season, Hamilton will face up against one of F1's best qualifiers in Charles Leclerc, and now an F1 legend has warned Ferrari that they may have made an almighty mistake.
Eddie Jordan was discussing his 'FFS of the year' on the Formula for Success podcast, and suggested that Carlos Sainz should have retained his seat with the Scuderia.
"I say to John Elkann, who’s the chairman of that group [Ferrari], what the f*** was he thinking about in getting rid of Carlos when he had a very happy, friendly, structured team that knew how to work together, the drivers got on well together," Jordan proclaimed.
"Fred Vasseur had a real opportunity to bring this team great, great success. Now he has to start thinking about gelling and mending a way that he can get a new member of the team, egos, everything involved.
"Lewis is a particularly nice person, I’m not sure there’s many nicer people on the grid than Lewis Hamilton so I don’t think he’ll have a problem there, however, my FFS goes to John Elkann of Ferrari for even authorising signing off on that deal. It was absolutely suicidal to get rid of Carlos."