History has a funny way of repeating itself. We see fashion trends coming back every decade or so. We have witnessed similar instances of history repeating itself in the sporting world as well. And Formula 1 is no stranger to this trend. A young Fernando Alonso dethroned a multiple world champion, Michael Schumacher. Then Lewis Hamilton came into the picture and Alonso suffered the same fate as the world champion before him. Fast forward the clock by over a decade and we saw Hamilton served the same cold dish of defeat at the hands of Max Verstappen in 2021 who ended his reign.

In short, history has a funny way of repeating itself and we might witness it once again. We might witness this scenario after Lewis Hamilton completes his transfer to Ferrari in 2025. The Brit made a public announcement of his decision to sign for Ferrari and we can’t help but draw comparisons from his blockbuster move to Mercedes from McLaren.

Will Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move pan out the same way as his move to Mercedes?

Mercedes has been directly or indirectly part of Hamilton’s career since he was 13. Without the backing of McLaren and Mercedes, the 39-year-old would have never reached the pinnacle of motorsport, let alone become a world champion, and not just once–seven times. This is why when he moved from the team that gave him his chance in the F1 and helped him win his first championship to a team that had once since its inception, naturally questions were raised.

However, we all know how that turned out for the Brit. He not only won the championship six more times with Mercedes, but he also broke every possible record in his journey to becoming a seven-time world champion. Now, his move to Ferrari has a similar feeling.

A world champion Lewis Hamilton is leaving a team where he won a championship after multiple years as the star man to a team that hasn’t tasted success in a very long time. Yup, this definitely has the same ring as his move from McLaren to Mercedes. The Brit also shocked everyone back then with his decision to change teams. However, unlike last time, his move this time has garnered a lot of positive reactions, perhaps because we all know Hamilton’s qualities.

Many believe Hamilton is the driver that Ferrari needed and he will help the Italian team end their 17-year-long draught. This is the feeling in the hearts of every Ferrari fan and some ex-Ferrari F1 personalities including Luigi Mazzola. The former Technical Manager of Test Activities at Ferrari said, “We haven’t won in Ferrari for 17 years and Hamilton will bring a much-needed winning mentality.”

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Moreover, even the statements from his McLaren departure and Mercedes’s departure bear similarities.  Let’s compare the two.

Lewis Hamilton’s statement then versus now

For the Brit, then, leaving McLaren and joining was a big step in his career. He was stepping into the unknown with Mercedes as he wanted to take on a new challenge. This was a gamble on Hamilton’s end as McLaren was a far better team than Mercedes at the time. Cut to 2024, and Hamilton is doing something similar. We wouldn’t call Mercedes far better than Ferrari at the moment but we won’t know what the future holds for the Brit. This yearning for a new challenge as he chases the last record in F1 reminds us of his move from McLaren to Mercedes.

We are all aware of Hamilton’s recent statement, if not, his Instagram post should help you jog your memory. Reflecting on his previous move to Mercedes, he said, “But the time is right to make a change and take on a new challenge. I still remember the feeling of taking a leap of faith into the unknown when I first joined Mercedes in 2013. I know some people didn’t understand it at the time but I was right to make the move then and it’s the feeling I have again now. I’m excited to see what I can bring to this new opportunity and what we can do together.”

His McLaren statement is buried deep within news from 2012 but we found a NY Times article that highlights parts of it. In his statement following his move from McLaren, he said, “From my past experiences of driving Formula 3 in different teams, the amount of experience that you get from joining other people, learning to work with those new people as quickly as possible, extracting the most from them and vice versa — it’s such a challenge,” He added. “And you have to do that to grow; you can’t do it in one place. I think even now, as I am in Formula One and have won a world championship, I think there’s still so much to learn, there’s so much growing to do. So I think this is part of that growing process.”

One can clearly see how Hamilton was emotional about his move away but with a hint of excitement. The emotion was perhaps overshadowed by excitement due to the team’s poor state, which is the case with Mercedes as well. However, we all know how his Mercedes stint turned out. Yet, in both his statements, Hamilton’s desire to take on new challenges is evident.

WATCH THIS STORY: Lewis Hamilton remains unwavering in his determination to halt Max Verstappen’s dominance, despite enduring significant neglect from the FIA

Looking to the future, can we expect history to repeat itself and see Hamilton become a world champion once again? This time in Ferrari Reds as he takes the reigns at the Italian team, which is expected by many. We won’t know until we see it come to life, until then, let’s wait and see if the earth revolves the same way it did in 2008.

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