How Hamilton’s move to Ferrari changed the 2025 F1 grid
Column
- Savannah Lenz
Formula 1 released several breaking news graphics regarding driver's and team personnel's movement across the grid. The one that is arguably the most important was Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari. Not only did it start what many F1 fans dubbed as a 'silly season', but it also created a domino effect that reached several teams.
Before the 2024 Formula 1 season started, it was announced that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes. Hamilton spent 12 years with the Silver Arrows, where he won six of his seven championships. Hamilton leaving Mercedes changed the entire 2024 season and, thus, the 2025 Formula 1 season in return.
Gaps left by Hamilton’s move
When Hamilton decided to sign for Ferrari, two things happened. Mercedes had to fill the gap left by their world champion, and Ferrari had to make room by releasing Carlos Sainz back onto the driver market. With Mercedes having to fill a massive hole in the team, they decided to look for the next best thing. A rookie. Andrea Kimi Antonelli was pulled up from Formula 2 after only a year. Antonelli has been viewed as the next Max Verstappen, with Toto Wolff singing high praises about the 18-year-old. Mercedes even passed up on the newly released Sainz to usher the rookie into the main team, not Williams Racing, as Antonelli’s current teammate George Russell once did.
While Sainz had multiple teams express interest in him, he had already been a part of three other teams: Torro Rosso (Red Bull Racing’s junior team), Renault (now Alpine), and McLaren. He could either return to where he once left or fight for a seat in a new team, making it his fourth move throughout his 10-year career. Many teams were in talks with Sainz, but it did not work out for one reason or another. Ultimately, he ended up signing with Williams Racing, which led to Logan Sargeant being released (which was also a performance-based decision). Franco Colapinto, a Williams development driver, was called up to fill Sargeant's seat. However, despite proving himself by scoring points in his second-ever Formula 1 Grand Prix, he was not able to join Williams as they had their full line-up with Sainz and Alexander Albon. Thus, he had to look elsewhere for a seat. That lead Colapinto to Alpine.
For whatever reason, Sainz did not end up at Sauber/Audi, which ended up with Nico Hulkenberg and a rookie, Gabriel Bortoleto. Hulkenberg moved from Haas, allowing Esteban Ocon to fill the seat there. Another driver who joined Haas was rookie Oliver Bearman, an F2 driver and Ferrari Academy driver who drove three Grand Prix weekends over the 2024 season. Regarding Alpine, they currently have Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan as their two drivers. They also have three reserve drivers lined up. The one everyone seems to be looking at is Franco Colapinto. With Flavio Briatore taking a more active approach with Alpine, the stakes are high for Doohan as rumours continue to swirl about him only having five races to prove himself.
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