Lewis Hamilton faced a huge challenge when leaving Mercedes after 12 years with the team, not only saying goodbye to familiar faces and procedures, but also bidding farewell to the Mercedes power unit that helped him through 356 races. Former Aston Martin strategist and Sky Sports F1 pundit Bernie Collins discussed the impact of this change in The Red Flags podcast, acknowledging that Hamilton’s move to Ferrari will be one of the biggest challenges in his first season with the team.
Moving from Brackley to Maranello for the F1 2025 season marks one of the biggest team changes in the sport’s history. While emotional implications of leaving a team where he dominated for over a decade are often discussed, the equally important and less visible challenge lies in adapting to Scuderia’s powertrain – a very different power unit from the Mercedes engine that led him to seven world titles.
Hamilton’s journey with Toto Wolff’s team paralleled the strong development of hybrid power units. The Mercedes V6 hybrid engine, introduced in 2014 and paired with a chassis that allowed drivers to reach their maximum potential, set the standard in powertrain design, despite early reliability issues. Ferrari, with Sebastian Vettel utilizing the Italian engine effectively after aerodynamic changes in 2017, and Red Bull also performed well during the first six years of the V6 hybrid era.
However, as an ordinary viewer from home, the significant differences in each power unit might not be apparent. Simple changes like steering wheel layout can also add to the learning curve for Hamilton at Ferrari. Collins believes that Hamilton will enjoy and accept this challenge, as he excels when pushed. With only one more year of the current power unit before the 2026 regulation changes, drivers will face a drastically different driving experience with 50% of their power coming from electric motors.
For Hamilton, the transition to Ferrari will bring significant cultural changes, with different personnel and engineers working in a different way. The shift from a long-time team like Mercedes to a new environment like Ferrari will be intriguing to see, especially in terms of qualifying performance and decision-making during races. Despite the challenges ahead, Collins remains confident in Hamilton’s ability to handle this transition and eagerly anticipates the results.
