Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari, can he script a new legacy in F1?

The sport of Formula One is about loyalties as well as intense rivalries. On Sunday, at the dusty circuit in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton finished fourth in his final race for Mercedes and left many emotional. This year, Hamilton, an icon in every sense, may have been nasty with his team and even cursed his F1 beast. But then, in the last few races he got emotional and pushed really hard. With the drivers’ championship already sealed before by Max Verstappen, there was everything for Hamilton to show in his finale.

True to expectations, the Briton was able to finish fourth with a final ‘Hammer time’ as a Mercedes driver, which only his fans and the team can relate to. To start 16th on the grid and keep going, changing tyres and going for that final blitz, Hamilton finished fourth. This was the best he could in a car which, he feels, has not been fast enough this season. Three races ago, it appeared Hamilton would not even complete his season with Mercedes as he was cursing the car. He felt it was no match to the kind of raw pace which Red Bull and Verstappen were generating. To say that Hamilton then mellowed would be hard to digest, since he has been rash as well as brash. Millions of fans love him for his character and persona, so they wanted to see that final fling from him. As he finished fourth, thanked his team on the radio and signed off, the ‘donuts’ he produced, burning rubber on the track was a sight to watch.

The season has ended. Hamilton has spent 12 years with Mercedes, which is a large portion of his life at 39. He won six of his seven world championship titles with this team. Maybe, he felt he had achieved the maximum and a change was necessary. And that began even before the 2024 season commenced as Hamilton signed up with Ferrari. It was a move which rocked the F1 paddocks as well as those who follow the business of the sport. Mega bucks would be a mild word, as how many millions of pounds Hamilton will now make with Ferrari is not a 100 per cent clear. Some say, it is more than 50 million Pound Sterling per year.

The next chapter will be more interesting in every way. Ferrari have taken on board Lewis Hamilton as he brings massive brand value, which cannot be measured just in terms of miles he eats on the track and performance. Yes, Hamilton will turn 40 in January, which will make him more mature in the new season. Can he generate the same furious pace is to be seen. The world will be tracking it. From a marketing and business point of view, the legacy of Ferrari will get monetised even further. Hamilton will bring them rich deals since this is a sport where characters and personalities are important. What fans watch live at races and on TV is big. There is a whole business behind all this and Hamilton is seen as someone who can ‘kill’ the market. “Hamilton will generate funds for Ferrrari, sponsorships as well, just wait,” noted commentator Karun Chandhok told this writer.

From a fans’ perspective, Ferrari will go back to the hangover they have been nursing since the time Michael Schumacher moved out from the Prancing Horse. For many, Schumacher leaving Ferrari meant their dreams were over. His legacy is massive and whether Hamilton can come near it remains to be seen. Sample this, when Schumacher was still active as a racer, he shifted to Mercedes. Sadly, he could not produce the same performance and results. Comparisons were made with Ferrari, repeatedly. So, Mercedes and Schumacher were never a super hit.

Hopefully, Hamiton can change the narrative for himself as well as the team he has joined. Their fan base is massive, and the iconic racer will get unlimited attention from the team. Mentally, Hamilton is really tough. He has in him that spark and drive to go full throttle. Pressure is not something which will worry him. How fast he slips into the seat of the Ferrrari and turns on the heat is going to be really interesting. And, at 40, Hamilton still loves to do things so challenging when viewed from the grand stand.