Lewis Hamilton acknowledged a nostalgic post from his former Formula 1 rival Sebastian Vettel, who shared reflections on his first day as a Ferrari driver in 2015. This year marks Hamilton’s debut season with Scuderia Ferrari as he pursues the team‘s elusive World Championship title after joining the Italian outfit following over a decade at Mercedes.
Vettel joined Ferrari in 2015 after securing four World Championships between 2010 and 2013, raising expectations among fans and experts. Despite his six seasons with the team, Vettel was unable to clinch the championship. Known for storytelling through his social media, Vettel recently revisited his early experiences at Ferrari with a post titled My first day at Ferrari. The post included a statement he made on that day ten years ago reflecting his excitement.
“It has been a fantastic day to come here. I remember having been here a long time ago as a little child, driving through Marinello and trying to look over the fence. To be here officially as part of the team felt fantastic. To have the possibility to drive the car, to get to know the team. It was a unique experience,” Vettel wrote.
The tribute received more than 150,000 likes, notably including one from Hamilton, highlighting their past rivalry and off-track friendship. As Hamilton begins his first campaign with Ferrari, the spotlight is on whether he can succeed where many great drivers have struggled.
Lewis Hamilton Determined to Avoid Ferrari’s Title Drought
Scuderia Ferrari has been associated with numerous celebrated drivers but has faced a prolonged absence of championship victories. The team’s last World Championship triumph came in 2008 when Kimi Räikkönen secured the title alongside teammate Felipe Massa. Since then, legends such as Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel have competed with the team without capturing the championship.
Vettel came close during the 2017 and 2018 seasons but ultimately fell short. Likewise, Hamilton, who arrived with an impressive record of seven World Championships, has yet to claim similar success in his debut Ferrari season. The team has struggled with pace, with Hamilton’s best overall finish being fourth place outside of the one-off Sprint race in China.
Despite these obstacles, Hamilton has expressed his firm commitment to reversing Ferrari’s fortunes and ending their long championship drought.
“If you look at the team for the last 20 years, they have had amazing drivers – Fernando, Kimi, Sebastian. Amazing drivers but they didn’t win a title, and I refuse to have that happen with me,” he stated during media interactions in Belgium.
“If you do the same things you have the same results, so I’m challenging everything. They are very responsive. I’m here to win, I don’t have much time so it is crunch time.”
Challenges Facing Hamilton in His First Ferrari Season
Hamilton’s ambition comes amid a difficult environment. Ferrari has faced performance issues this season, making it challenging to compete with front-running teams. McLaren’s resurgence at the top of the grid underscores the competitiveness Hamilton and Ferrari will need to overcome.
Although victory has been elusive so far, Hamilton’s declaration signals a focused effort to reshape the team’s trajectory. The pressure mounts as he seeks to translate his experience and determination into success with the iconic Italian squad.