It will soon be lights out and away we go as the 2024 Formula 1 Season begins in Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, but is it Carlos Sainz last time in a Ferrari red suit? The Spanish driver will be leaving Ferrari at the end of 2024, replaced by Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, in 2025.
Formula 1, commonly abbreviated to F1, is the international motorsport racing championship in which 10 teams are competing. The event showcases the world’s fastest single-seater cars around a racetrack, with each team having engineered their own model. Precision and timing are key as the tires need to be changed within seconds and any extra time could cost them the lead. The term “formula” relates to the FIA rules that the cars and the drivers must follow in order to keep it a fair and safe competition. For the 2024 Championship, the teams will race in 21 countries, totaling 24 rounds that span five continents.
Hailed as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, Hamilton, age 39, began driving for F1 in 2007 for McLaren, and was the first black driver to race in this prestigious series. He moved to Mercedes in 2013 and has been with them since. Thus far in his career, Hamilton has won the world championship seven times, sharing the record with retired German driver Michael Schumacher. Hamilton also has the most wins in his career, as well as the most laps led, podium places, pole positions and total number of points earned.
The last time he was able to secure a win was in December 2021, and in 2022 the teams who usually perform the highest, Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari, were the ones who secured at least one win, and the sole Mercedes win came from Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell.
Since the teams are the ones responsible for engineering the cars and ensuring they follow the F1 standard, Mercedes has struggled in recent years to perfect their engineering and has not been able to keep up with the powerhouse, Red Bull, whose drivers are Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez and Max Verstappen, the world champion of 2022 and 2023. Hamilton has even complained that the car has left him with back pain due to the bouncing of the model from going at such high speeds in a short amount of time. Team Principal of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, acknowledged Hamilton’s complaints and the issue was said to be improved for the 2023 Mercedes model. However, it still lacked enough alterations to keep up with the competition.
For the 2023 season, Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to obtain a win. At the Singapore Grand Prix, he held the pole position, and in the final laps of the race, managed to outpace McLaren’s Lando Norris who used use the Drag Reduction System (DRS), which allowed him to speed up and keep the Mercedes drivers behind him. Russell crashed which allowed Hamilton to finish third. So how did Ferrari repay Sainz for this strategy? Not extending his contract after the 2024 season.
At the end of January, it was announced that Sainz’ teammate, Charles Leclerc, extended his contract beyond the 2024 season. Since Leclerc renewed his contract, many believed that Sainz would also be offered a contract extension. It was unexpected when it was revealed on Feb. 1 that Hamilton would join Ferrari, having activated a release clause in his contract. Hamilton leaving increases pressure on Mercedes, not only for branding and sponsorships but also for performance and the unknown future of his replacement. With Mercedes now redirecting their focus on Russell, Wolff describes him as their future.
It is currently unknown where Sainz will be heading to the 2025 season. Hamilton had said that it was always a dream of his to drive in a Ferrari red. Soon working alongside Team Principal of Ferrari, Frédéric Vasseur, who helped foster Hamilton’s talent during his F2 and F3 days, raises the question if they are able to recreate the success they had and if Hamilton can lead Ferrari to success.
