Hamilton's Ferrari dream lights up: Another masterstroke in the making?

Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari in 2025 was announced before the 2024 Formula 1 season even started. The sport has completed just five races in the 2024 season, but Hamilton's move to Ferrari has suddenly become tastier. Has the seven-time World Champion made a masterstroke again? Red Bull Racing told GPblog that Newey's work on the RB17 counts as gardening leave and so will be free to join another team in time for 2026.

Ultimately, that won't be proved until 2026, when the new rules and regulations are introduced. However, it could be that Hamilton and Ferrari are already moving in the right direction. Reports suggest that Adrian Newey will be leaving Red Bull. The top designer is one of the most successful people in the history of Formula 1, and success seems to follow him around. 

Will Newey join Hamilton at Ferrari?

Newey won't be short of offers from other F1 teams. Nobody has understood the current regulations as well as he has. Combined with Max Verstappen, Red Bull have won every World Championship since they were introduced for the 2022 season. In fact, they have dominated every single championship. 

Whilst he could be tempted by Aston Martin, and perhaps even Mercedes, Ferrari seems like the most likely destination for the 65-year-old. The Brit has never made his interest in the Ferrari brand a secret. He also likes to work with top drivers, such as Hamilton. Newey and Hamilton have never worked together during their careers so far. 

The British Formula 1 driver has only made one career move, but it was a masterstroke. Most fans and personnel within the Formula 1 world were shocked to see him announce a move from McLaren to Mercedes. It turned out Mercedes had the best engine for the 2014 rule changes, and they dominated until Verstappen and Newey stopped it in 2021.

Hamilton hasn't won a Formula 1 race since December 2021 and hasn't even been on the podium in the 2024 season. That's quite a remarkable draught for a driver who once had the statistic of winning one race in every season. His current team, Mercedes, seem stuck in a rot and are constantly experimenting with the set-up. That was on display again in China. It's no surprise Hamilton has grown frustrated with the project at Mercedes and sought refuge elsewhere.

Fred Vasseur is building something

It still might seem like a bizarre call right now, especially considering that Carlos Sainz is the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race since November 2022. However, when you sign a driver like Hamilton, you light a fire within your team. Suddenly, the engineers become extra motivated, and you become an even more attractive proposition to outside interest. When there's a chance to work with (statistically) the greatest driver of all time, you probably take it. Especially when he is heading towards the final stages of his career.

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur is preparing something for the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Frenchman will do all he can to lure Newey to the Italian team. The hype about Hamilton's dream move to Ferrari has intensified once again with the news that gardening leave is shorter than expected. Could this be the first building block for another masterstroke of a move?