Lewis Hamilton addresses Ferrari ‘second thoughts’ theory after Mercedes resurgence

Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari logo

Lewis Hamilton has insisted that he has had no second thoughts over his move to Ferrari for the F1 2025 season despite Mercedes’ recent resurgence with the improving W15 car.

Hamilton announced in February that he will join Ferrari on a multi-year contract next year, ending his long and successful association with Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton not questioning Ferrari switch despite Mercedes W15 rise

Additional reporting by Sam Cooper

The British driver won six of his joint-record seven World Championships with Mercedes following his arrival from McLaren in 2013 – as well as becoming the first man in history to surpass 100 pole positions and grand prix victories – with the German manufacturer powering each of his 342 F1 starts to date.

Despite aiming to finish his Mercedes career with a flourish, Hamilton endured his worst-ever start to a season in F1 2024, finishing no higher than seventh across the first five races.

With Mercedes introducing a number of upgrades to the W15, however, the team’s form has improved over recent weeks with Hamilton claiming his first podium of F1 2024 at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, ending a run of 13 races without a top-three finish.

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Meanwhile, Ferrari have faded after victories in Australia and Monaco for Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc respectively, with the red cars finishing behind Hamilton and team-mate George Russell in Barcelona.

Despite Ferrari’s muted Spanish GP performance, which came after a double DNF in Canada, Hamilton is adamant that he has no regrets over his F1 2025 switch, with the Scuderia “doing a great job” and “definitely progressing” regardless of recent results.

Asked if he is having “second thoughts” over his decision, Hamilton told media including PlanetF1.com: “No, not at all.

“Firstly, I love Mercedes. I’ve been with Mercedes since I was 13 and I’ll always be a fan and supporter of Mercedes.

“And my job this year, right now, is to work as hard as I can with the crew that I have, with the people back at the factory, to try and move and develop the car in the right direction.

“And so ultimately, whatever course and trajectory the team is on for next year, for example, there are things that I’ve hopefully been a part of and be proud of being a part of.

“My job will start next year at the other team, who I think are doing a great job.

“I think they’ve had a couple of difficult races, but let’s not forget they had a race win in Monaco.

“I can’t tell you what is wrong with their car and why they are in the position they’re in today, but they did bring an upgrade here and I think they are definitely progressing.

“But it doesn’t make me second guess my decision at all.”

Hamilton’s latest comments come after he claimed at April’s Chinese Grand Prix that his decision to leave Mercedes “doesn’t need vindicating”, insisting he has not once questioned his move to Ferrari.

He told reporters in Shanghai: “I don’t feel like I need my decision vindicating.

“I know what was right for me and that hasn’t changed since the moment that I made the decision.

“There’s not been a moment where I questioned it, and I’m not swayed by other people’s comments.

“Even today, there’s people continuing to talk s**t and it will continue on for the rest of the year.

“And I’ll have to just do what I did the previous time [I moved teams].

“Only you can know what’s right for you and it will be an exciting time for me.”

Earlier this month, Hamilton dismissed the suggestion that he will push for Ferrari to adopt an all-black livery for their F1 2025 car after Mercedes switched to – and retained – a dark colour scheme in support of the driver’s anti-racism campaigning.

Hamilton commented that he “won’t be pushing for that too early on” at Ferrari, with the 39-year-old’s “impact work” alongside president John Elkann more likely to manifest itself off track at Maranello.

He told media: “I haven’t driven a black car for a while, so I probably won’t be pushing for that too early on, but no.

“We’ve definitely spoken about impact work and John and the team have a lot of philanthropy work that they do, so we’ll be working very closely with Mission 44 and with the impact stuff that they’re doing.

“I think within the sport, we have to continue to do more, but more outside we’ll be doing quite a bit together, so that’s really exciting.”

Hamilton remains without a race victory since the penultimate race of the 2021 campaign in Saudi Arabia, which came just seven days before he was dethroned by Max Verstappen in the controversial season finale in Abu Dhabi.