How Lewis Hamilton is already influencing Ferrari ahead of F1 2025 move

Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari in 2025.

While Lewis Hamilton is still very much a Mercedes driver, Ferrari chairman John Elkann has quoted the seven-time World Champion in a company letter as a way to visualise success.

Hamilton will be joining the Scuderia from 2025 and fulfilling a childhood dream in the process, but while he still has 20 rounds left as a Mercedes driver, the Ferrari boss is using his prominence as an example before his arrival.

Lewis Hamilton influence on show as Ferrari CEO quotes him in letter

Hamilton revealed he and Elkann have been friends since meeting at a Google Camp in Sicily, where influential people from around the world meet each year, and his long-established links with Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur stretches back to their association to his title-winning season in GP2 in 2006.

Should he be unable to overhaul Max Verstappen and Red Bull this season, Hamilton will head to Ferrari looking for an unprecedented eighth World Championship, and Elkann has quoted the current Mercedes driver’s words in a company letter in how his approach can apply to the rest of the business.

Writing in a letter to shareholders of Exor, Ferrari’s parent investment company of which Elkann is chief executive, he said as quoted by Sky Italia: “Scuderia Ferrari is providing a good example of progress, having started the new F1 season with several podium finishes.

PlanetF1.com recommends

Follow PlanetF1.com’s WhatsApp channel for all the F1 breaking news!

Revealed: The remarkable 36-hour timeline behind Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari

“The objective is to continue to grow and to do so day after day, even more so next year when Hamilton, nominated by the same president of the Rossa, will be linked to the Scuderia di Maranello.

“With success, it is important to keep in mind the words of Lewis Hamilton: ‘In racing there are always things to learn, every single day. There is always room for improvement, and I think this applies to everything in life’. His words recall one of Exor’s pairs of values: ambition and humility.

“We look forward to celebrating further victories with customers, fans and employees with Benedetto Vigna [Ferrari chief executive] and his leadership team keeping their ‘tyres firmly on the ground’ approach as the Prancing Horse continues on its journey towards electrification while remaining true to its history.”

Carlos Sainz’s victory in Australia has been the only interruption to Red Bull’s dominance so far in 2024, with Hamilton signed to replace the Spaniard for next season on a multi-year contract.