Just two races into the 2025 season, and Lewis Hamilton‘s move to Ferrari has been labelled more of a marketing ploy than a genuine bid to boost results. That’s according to professor Paolo Aversa, a leading academic in motorsport and Formula 1 who is sceptical of the impact the F1 legend can have on his new team.
Hamilton’s Italian journey began on a sour note when he and team-mate Charles Leclerc finished the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in 10th and eighth place, respectively. However, things took a turn for the worse in Shanghai on Sunday after both were disqualified following the Chinese Grand Prix.
This marked the first time in F1 history that both Ferraris were disqualified from a Grand Prix. Leclerc, 27, finished fifth but had his points wiped out after coming in underweight, while Hamilton’s sixth-place finish was nullified due to excessive plank wear.
While few experts perhaps anticipated Hamilton to completely transform Ferrari straight away, Sunday’s double disqualification has highlighted the magnitude of work required. And according to Aversa, the seven-time world champion was brought to Maranello more for his profile and the prestige he brings to Ferrari than any performance-related advantages.
“I feel Hamilton is a larger than life character and has been hired by Ferrari more on his marketing potential than his driving potential,” he told Prime Casino (via the Daily Express). “He is of course exceptional who holds records, however he is arguably in his decline phase.
“He doesn’t have the consistency he had when he was younger. Hamilton repays his costs purely with glamour and the potential for a wonderful narrative that fits with Ferrari.”
Aversa – who teaches at King’s College in London – went on to note the online impact Hamilton has had at Ferrari. He continued: “He brought 280,000 followers alone to Ferrari’s social media account, and merchandise sold out in minutes so it shows there’s an army of individuals that follow and cheer for Hamilton regardless of the team he’s in or his performance.”
It’s evident Ferrari’s SF-25 has improvements to make if it’s to catch up to the likes of McLaren and Red Bull. Lando Norris won in Melbourne before team-mate Oscar Piastri finished first in China, suggesting McLaren will live up to its billing as favourites this term.
Aversa continued to emphasise the need for Ferrari to build a winning car. However, he suggested that even if they did, Leclerc would be the one most likely to benefit in a damning assessment for Hamilton.
Many assumed the Briton would arrive in Italy as the default ‘No1 driver’ for Ferrari. But the team’s veteran of six years may have something to say about that after outperforming the new arrival thus far.
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Speaking on the scuffle at the sharp end of the grid, Aversa added: “If they [Ferrari] have a top performing car, I think Charles Leclerc will be the favourite, the quickest to secure a top spot.”
This season seems to prove him right thus far, with Leclerc getting the better of Hamilton in both races. However, it’s Hamilton who’s got the upper hand in the standings, thanks to his sprint victory before the Chinese Grand Prix, which saw Leclerc place fifth.
Without that sprint race result, Leclerc could have been topping the charts over Ferrari’s new signee. The pair are set to return at the Japanese Grand Prix on April 6, offering Ferrari some food for thought during the first off weekend of the season.
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