Lewis Hamilton wants to protect rookies and takes a jab at Flavio Briatore. Lewis Hamilton faces a generational shift..

In 2025, six drivers will start their first full season in F1. Lewis Hamilton has explained how he will approach battles against the rookies, expressing support and a desire to protect them.

Lewis Hamilton commented on the arrival of so many young drivers. Having been in F1 since 2007, he will now share the grid with drivers who were born only a few years before that. This means that all the rookies will find themselves racing against someone they have always watched on TV—and perhaps even cheered for.

The Ferrari driver recalled his own first F1 races, where he finally got to battle against the idols he had always admired. “I remember being on track with Michael Schumacher back in the day, and he was ahead of me, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Michael Schumacher.’ It’s very hard to believe that what you’re seeing is real.”

Hamilton as a protective figure

Lewis has made it clear how he intends to approach all these new arrivals—he doesn’t plan to have an overly competitive relationship with them.

Throughout 2024, Lewis Hamilton showed great care in his interactions with young drivers. He was the first to approach Bearman after his debut race, as well as Colapinto, and spoke highly of both in interviews.

Having been shaken by how he was treated when he first arrived in F1, Lewis Hamilton had already spoken about his approach to rookies after the 2024 Azerbaijan GP. “I wanted to be different from how they were with me when I was young. I want to make sure I’m positive towards them and encourage them rather than speak badly about them.”

He reiterated this stance in the first press conference of the season: “I always try to set a good example, and in a way, I want to protect them from all the blows coming their way. F1 can be a cruel world, and they just need time. It takes a long time to create diamonds, and they need that time to grow and become themselves.”

Lewis Hamilton concluded with what could be a reference to Jack Doohan’s uncertain contract situation, which has left him in limbo even before his debut. “Obviously, some drivers arrive and then get kicked out immediately. I hope they are given some room to maneuver and time to make mistakes.”