- Hamilton is not coming to enjoy retirement
Ferrari boss John Elkann (48) expects a massive boost for the racing team from his future Formula 1 star driver Lewis Hamilton (39). "He's coming to us to win, and we'll be stronger with him in anticipating the challenges of the future," Elkann told "La Gazzetta dello Sport" in an interview. "We're talking about a great athlete who's very motivated to become an eight-time world champion, as the recent races have shown. He's not coming to Ferrari to enjoy retirement."
Ferrari announced the sensational switch of Hamilton on February 1 this year. The seven-time world champion will leave Mercedes at the end of this season and has a long-term contract with the Italian racing team starting from 2025. Ferrari last won the driver's championship with Kimi Räikkönen in 2007, and the constructor's championship in 2008.
"You only have to look at the greats of the last decade," Elkann continued. "(Novak) Djokovic, (Roger) Federer, (Lewis) Hamilton, (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Lionel) Messi, what do they have in common? Longevity." They had all distinguished themselves through their immense willpower.
Ferrari's acquisition of Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes marks a significant shift in their Formula One strategy, aiming to challenge for championship titles once again. With Hamilton's ambition to become an eight-time world champion, his move to Ferrari in 2025 is set to revitalize the Italian racing team, as mentioned by Ferrari boss John Elkann.
Having secured the services of Lewis Hamilton for several years, Ferrari aims to join the elite club of teams with multiple world champions, following in the footsteps of notable athletes like Novak Djokovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom demonstrated unparalleled longevity in their respective sports, as pointed out by Elkann.
