Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is officially a Ferrari driver. As of January 1, 2025, this long-anticipated move has become reality.

The union between the most successful driver in Formula 1 history, measured by race wins, and the sport’s most legendary team has sent waves of excitement through the F1 community. Ferrari and the British driver joining forces sets the stage for what could be one of the most thrilling and highly anticipated seasons in recent memory.

However, not everyone is convinced this partnership will yield success. Beneath the surface of the widespread buzz, doubts linger about Hamilton’s current form.

The seven-time world champion is coming off the most challenging season of his illustrious career. For the first time, Lewis Hamilton finished outside the top six in the Drivers’ Championship, ending the 2024 campaign in seventh place. While this position was reflective of Mercedes’ lackluster car performance, it’s his struggles against teammate George Russell that have sparked concern.

George Russell dominated Lewis Hamilton in qualifying, outperforming him 19-5—a Saturday deficit unprecedented in Hamilton’s career. Such a performance has raised questions about whether the 39-year-old is on the decline or simply struggling to adapt to the current generation of F1 machinery.

Flavio Briatore Questions Ferrari’s Choice to Sign Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari’s decision to bring in Hamilton has also disrupted a stable and successful driver line-up. The Scuderia, while still chasing their first Constructors’ Championship since 2008, came closer than ever last season. They finished just 14 points behind McLaren, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz delivering a combined total of five wins and a grid-high 22 podium finishes.

Despite this success, Ferrari opted to release Carlos Sainz, who has now joined Williams, a team that finished near the back of the grid. Speaking to *Sport Bild*, via *sport.de*, former Renault team boss and current Alpine team principal Flavio Briatore expressed skepticism about Ferrari’s move. He argued that the Italian side already had a “top” driver pairing and questioned the logic of disrupting their established formula.

Still, the Italian manager acknowledged the potential upside of the bold decision. He admitted that Lewis Hamilton’s presence in Ferrari’s scarlet red car is undeniably “good for Formula 1” and suggested the veteran driver may yet prove him wrong by reigniting Ferrari’s championship hopes.

As the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will be on Hamilton and Ferrari to see if this partnership can live up to its monumental expectations—or if the skeptics will be proven right.

“It will be strange to see Lewis in the Ferrari,” he said. “Of course I respect such decisions, but I also wonder whether it makes sense. Ferrari had two top drivers in Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. I don’t understand why they split up this great pairing. It’s not my job to judge, but if I had been in a position of responsibility at Ferrari, I wouldn’t have signed Lewis.” – the Italian pointed out.

“In principle, it’s good for Formula 1 if Lewis drives for Ferrari. And everything that’s good for Formula 1 is good for me too. It’s certainly good for television and the ratings too. Let’s wait and see. Time will tell how well he drives in the Ferrari.” – the Alpine team boss continued.

Ferrari mechanics may already be warming to Lewis Hamilton after his gesture at Yas Marina.

Flavio Briatore, who led Benetton during Michael Schumacher’s first two championship wins in 1994 and 1995, and later managed Fernando Alonso, is well-versed in working with the sport’s legends. However, his recent remarks questioning Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari may only serve to ignite the seven-time world champion’s determination as he prepares for his debut with the Scuderia at the Australian Grand Prix.

Hamilton is chasing history, aiming to become the first driver since Jack Brabham in 1966 to clinch a championship at the age of 40 or older. His arrival at Ferrari marks a new chapter for both the driver and the team, and his actions in Abu Dhabi offered a glimpse into how he plans to integrate with his new surroundings.

During the last round of the 2024 Formula 1 campaign, which was held at the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, Lewis Hamilton, still racing for Mercedes at the time, greeted Ferrari mechanics in Italian. The gesture, coupled with his efforts to learn the language, likely endeared him to his future colleagues. Such actions suggest the Briton is eager to immerse himself in Ferrari’s culture, a move that could strengthen bonds within the team as they prepare for a pivotal 2025 season.

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion’s contract with the Maranello team is expected to span two to three years, providing a limited timeframe to secure the elusive eighth title that has evaded him since 2020. While his immediate focus will be on achieving this historic milestone, Ferrari is already looking to the future. Rising star Oliver Bearman is widely tipped as a potential successor to Lewis Hamilton, with many expecting the young Brit to join the team in the coming years.

For now, Lewis Hamilton’s time at Maranello offers a unique opportunity to prove himself in the iconic scarlet red, while also laying the groundwork for Ferrari’s next generation of talent.

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The new role places him under Oakes and alongside executive technical director David Sanchez in the management structure. In addition to his ties with Oakes, Greenwood is the latest in a series of former Enstone staff members to return to the team since Flavio Briatore became involved as an executive advisor.

“He’s been with me for a long time,” Oakes told AutoRacer.it. “He has a lot of experience in F1, and of course, he’ll be returning to Enstone. He’s been my right-hand man for several years.” Defining Greenwood’s role as race director, Oakes added: “I think every team has a different assignment. In his case, he’s in a leadership position with me and David. He’ll bring a lot of experience, as the title suggests, across the race team, but also in the technical and engineering fields. It’s a broad role, and it’s great to have him by my side.”

Greenwood is best known for his time at Ferrari, where he worked as Kimi Raikkonen’s race engineer, but he also brings experience from various teams within the Alpine sphere. He began his F1 career as a vehicle dynamics specialist with BAR Honda in 2000. He joined Renault in early 2005 as a race and performance engineer, staying with the team during its two championship-winning seasons with Fernando Alonso. He joined Virgin/Manor in 2010, remaining with the operation under the Marussia name until the end of 2014, when he moved to Ferrari. He stayed in Maranello until early 2018.

Greenwood then had a stint in GT racing, initially as technical director with Manor Endurance before taking on a similar role with Zak Brown’s United Autosports operation. He joined Hitech in early 2022 and was instrumental in establishing a fledgling team as Oakes sought entry into F1. When the bid was rejected, the F1 project was closed.

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The background
Carlos Sainz will race with Williams in 2025, a scenario no one would have bet on at the start of the season, even after the surprising announcement of Lewis Hamilton‘s move to Maranello for the next season.

Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari automatically freed up a seat at Mercedes, and Red Bull is also unlikely to retain Sergio Perez despite his contract extension at the start of the season. In short, there were seats available for Carlos Sainz on paper, but the Spaniard had to settle for Williams.

Flavio Briatore explained why Alpine ultimately did not pursue negotiations with Carlos Sainz: “I spoke with Sainz. He was interesting for us, but only for four years. It makes no sense to take a driver like Carlos for one or two years. Either he believes in our program, or he doesn’t. I don’t need a driver who costs me a lot of money and is looking to join another team as soon as the opportunity arises,” said the manager in a recent interview with the German publication *Auto Motor und Sport*.

“I’m interested in any driver who is fast. Franco Colapinto surprised everyone. But we have contracts with Gasly, Doohan, and Aron for the next season. If there were an opportunity to sign Franco Colapinto for 2026, it would be worth considering. However, one must always be cautious when evaluating drivers. In this sport, after one good race, people get excited. Then the price goes up, and suddenly you’re talking about 20 or 30 million dollars. The choice today is much broader than in the past. There are now six or seven promising drivers in Formula 2 and Formula 3. We want to focus on those who are good. We want to concentrate on those who are strong in our academy and stop spreading ourselves thin. Probably, the choice will come down to three drivers: Aron, Mini, and Martins.” – the Italian manager concluded.

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Jack Doohan has chosen his race number
There could be no better occasion than the Las Vegas Grand Prix to unveil his lucky number to the world. The setting is perfect: the gambling capital, with dice rolling on the green felt and the roulette ball spinning endlessly. For Alpine’s young debutant, Jack Doohan, the ball has landed on 7. This will be the race number used by the Australian, the son of motorsport legend Mick Doohan, throughout his Formula 1 career starting from the 2025 season.

In honor of Kimi Raikkonen
Jack Doohan announced his choice in Las Vegas via a video shared on Alpine’s social media accounts. His decision is unmistakably linked to Kimi Raikkonen, who carried the number 7 from 2014 until his retirement in 2021, making it one of his signature marks. “The 7 will be my race number for 2025,” Jake Doohan said, “and I’m super excited because I really wanted to choose a number that I had raced with before and that had great significance to me. I used it in 2019, but it’s also one of the numbers used by one of my idols, a special person and driver like Kimi Raikkonen. I can’t wait to continue this tradition and make the number 7 my own, hoping it brings me luck.”

Jack Doohan is the first of the new rookies to take on such a “heavy” number, one that belonged for many years to a world champion who remains beloved and widely followed like Kimi Raikkonen, who remains the most recent Ferrari F1 world champion, having secured the title for the Maranello team back in 2007 after a memorable Brazilian Grand Prix. According to the regulations, a race number remains reserved for at least two years after the last race of the driver who used it, meaning it officially became available again following the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and could be claimed starting with the current F1 season.

Jack Doohan will, however, need to prove himself worthy of defending the number on the track, showing both character and speed. According to recent rumors, the young Australian has a contract with Alpine for only the first five races of the upcoming season.

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Ferrari is not alone: two other major teams are hunting for Renault’s F1 engine specialists. The French manufacturer has officially announced the closure of its Power Unit program in F1, effective at the end of 2025. The protests of engineers and workers in Viry-Chatillon were not enough: Alpine will most likely rely on Mercedes’ very promising engines from 2026.

The Alpine revolution has become hunting ground for teams in the paddock. The decision to no longer produce their own Power Units, following several seasons of failed partnership between Enstone and Viry-Chatillon, has left many specialized engineers looking for new employment. These technicians already have experience with the 2026 engines, as Renault’s prototype PU is already on the test benches.

Ferrari is one of the most interested teams, and it’s no secret: in recent days, we provided a “new” interpretation of the meeting between Enrico Gualtieri, Ferrari’s Power Unit Director, and his Alpine counterpart, Eric Meignan, which took place at the Austrian Grand Prix. The doors of Maranello could (re)open for the former Ferrari engineer, who left the Prancing Horse at the end of 2023.

A recent report by Auto Motor und Sport confirms the rumors of Ferrari’s serious interest in Alpine’s engineers: at least twenty of them have already participated in interviews with Maranello, which aims to gather as much know-how as possible on the next generation of Power Units, while also poaching the best technicians from the French team.

Meanwhile, two other major teams in the paddock are also in contact with Alpine personnel. On one side is Audi, which will debut in Formula 1 in 2026, producing both chassis and engine. The Four Rings are already in an advanced stage of developing their first Power Unit, but admit that it will take time before they can aim for the top of the standings.

Red Bull is also interested in Renault’s engineers: the Milton Keynes team will build its own Power Units starting in 2026, with technical support from Ford. Christian Horner’s team has made no secret of its recruitment efforts at Mercedes and now wants to take the best from the defunct Alpine engine program.

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It’s interesting how the same news can be interpreted in completely different ways: a few days ago, L’Equipe published an interview with Luca De Meo, president of the Renault Group, where he explained to the French sports daily the reasoning behind Alpine’s decision to abandon Renault’s power unit from 2026 in favor of the customer version of Mercedes’ unit.

But that’s not the main point of our curiosity; rather, it’s the mention that Ferrari is strengthening its racing department with French technicians, following the arrival of Loic Serra from Mercedes to Maranello as Chassis Technical Director on October 1st, after a long gardening period.

Luca De Meo explained that the Viry-Chatillon facility will not be sold but will remain a strategic center for Renault, as it will be dedicated to other projects such as hydrogen and racing programs like WEC or the Dakar with Dacia: “We don’t want to fire anyone, but if there are people attracted by the idea of designing a Formula 1 engine, they will have no trouble finding a place. Fred Vasseur asked us if he could take some of our engineers and if we could waive their gardening period. We won’t imprison our guys.”

In reality, the Parisian factory at Viry-Chatillon is quite redundant without F1, so it’s easy to imagine that there could be excess staff. Ferrari, therefore, could, by flipping the situation, recruit some of the engineers from the French team (and it’s not necessarily limited to French nationals) to strengthen some of Maranello’s departments. However, by picking up employees from those who no longer have a role, it is quite clear that there would be no gardening period.

F1 is undergoing a major phase of transformation in light of the 2026 regulatory revolution, and personnel movements are heavily influenced by the constraints of the mandatory stop period, so much so that there is discussion about abolishing the gardening period. It’s clear that if there are opportunities to speed up transitions from one brand to another, some will try to seize every chance.

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The news about the closure of the engine department in Viry Chatillon has been a highly discussed topic in the F1 paddock for some time. Flavio Briatore’s arrival aimed to significantly change the cards on the table for Alpine, which will become a customer team of Mercedes starting in 2026. However, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has not been idle and appears to have begun a shopping campaign from Alpine’s engine department to bolster Ferrari’s.

Rumors about switching to a new engine supplier have been circulating for several months. Since the Austrian Grand Prix, speculation about a possible new engine supplier for the French team has intensified. From that moment on, rumors continued about potential power unit suppliers starting in 2026.

Ferrari and Mercedes were the frontrunners to replace the Alpine engine starting in 2026, when the new power unit will come into play. This is a monumental regulatory change, with a fair distribution of power between thermal and electric.

A significant challenge for the French team, which probably felt it couldn’t invest in the new regulations. This decision stemmed from poor results during the initial phase of turbo hybrid engines, which have been in effect since 2014. The story of the engine department in Viry-Chatillon came to an end on September 30, 2024, when the official announcement of its closure was made. Despite the significant concerns of the personnel assigned to the F1 department, there could be a new twist in terms of employment.

Indeed, according to some rumors that have emerged in recent hours, Frederic Vasseur seems determined to bring in some Alpine personnel to join the Power Unit team. The names of these new additions have not yet been revealed, but a meeting dating back to the Austrian GP could be quite telling. On that occasion, journalists managed to spot Enrico Gualtieri, Power Unit Technical Director, along with Eric Meignan, also a Power Unit Technical Director at Alpine.

At that time, it seemed like a conversation aimed at transitioning Alpine to Ferrari’s engine, but now it takes on a different connotation. Eric Meignan could thus be returning to Maranello, having left the Scuderia in October 2023. Frederic Vasseur’s intention to “shop” at Alpine will not be limited to just one figure, but will likely extend to other key personnel who will join Enrico Gualtieri in the power unit department.

Should these additions be confirmed, they could arrive at Maranello without facing a gardening leave. Luca De Meo himself commented on this, stating he will not create problems for his team members given the difficult circumstances they are facing in Alpine.

Source: f1ingenerale

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An attempt was made to quickly initiate a revolution at Enstone. Italian businessman Flavio Briatore, now an Alpine executive consultant, sought to shake up the team immediately. With Carlos Sainz and Adrian Newey on the market, the Italian manager tried for a double signing that would have certainly rocked the F1 world. However, the outcome was negative on both fronts.

“We already have good and fast drivers, the problem is the car,” he said in a recent interview for the Italian daily newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “I’m not someone who buys drivers; I always like them to grow within the team, as I did with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. I think and hope that Doohan can give us guarantees in 2025. I tried to sign Carlos Sainz and Adrian Newey, but the negotiations didn’t go well.”

The technical challenge is certainly complex. There is the Power Unit issue, with the French team in discussions with both Viry-Chatillon engineers and Mercedes to find a decisive but perhaps not drastic solution. But it is the car as a whole that disappoints Flavio Briatore. However, the budget provided by Renault should be enough to turn the team’s fortunes around.

“I’m more focused on teamwork,” explains the manager. “One evening I went to the factory and saw about 80 people working; that had never happened before. I’ve always won titles with a budget 30% less than my rivals, and I haven’t forgotten the magic formula. Now I’ve put the headphones back on to listen to the guys in the workshop, and I’m ready to make Alpine great again.” – he concluded.

Source: f1ingenerale

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Initially, it was thought that the new partnership between Alpine and Mercedes would start in 2026 with the introduction of the new power unit specification, but according to information gathered in Hungary, there is also the possibility that the agreement could be brought forward by twelve months. Among the four engines currently in use in Formula 1, Alpine’s is seen as the weakest, and in this context, advancing the collaboration with Mercedes would solve one of the issues that has been complained about for years by the drivers and technicians at Enstone.

This would create a problem at the Viry-Chatillon headquarters, where the Renault engines are designed and built, but it would ultimately just be bringing forward by twelve months a decision that has already been made. Supporting this scenario is the recent exclusive agreement starting in 2026 between Audi and fuel supplier Castrol-BP, currently a partner of Alpine-Renault.

If the agreement is finalized for the 2025 Formula 1 season, it will be an additional card for Alpine to play in the ongoing negotiations with Carlos Sainz. The prospect of having a Mercedes rear end and a more competitive power unit than the one currently available to Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon is a valuable asset to present to Carlos Sainz to persuade him to join the project.

The downside for the Enstone staff will be a likely reduction in the workforce, as the team will become a customer team for the first time in its history.

Alpine has been exploring various options for power units. Red Bull had already dismissed the possibility of supplying engines to Alpine. Despite the ironic twist of Red Bull powering their former engine supplier, the team acknowledges they are not yet prepared to provide engines to other teams. Similarly, Audi, set to debut as engine manufacturers in 2026, is not an option. This narrowed down the realistic choices to three: Ferrari, Mercedes, and Honda.

Among these, Ferrari appeared to be the option Alpine was most eagerly exploring. With Sauber departing as a customer in 2026, Ferrari will have a vacancy. Maintaining a customer team in F1 offers several advantages, so Ferrari was open to a collaboration with Alpine.

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The Anglo-French team might not be a full-fledged manufacturer starting in 2026. After years of producing most components in-house, including the power unit, Alpine could become a customer team under the new regulatory cycle. Hoping to climb back up the rankings, Bruno Famin, the current team principal of Alpine F1 Team, is considering switching to a new power unit. Ferrari and Mercedes are the most talked-about contenders for supplying Alpine with the 2026 engines.

During the sequence of races between Spain, Austria, and Silverstone, rumors about who would supply Alpine’s power units intensified. Just before the Barcelona race, speculation arose that Ferrari might be Alpine’s engine supplier starting in 2026. This rumor was further confirmed in Austria, where F1inGenerale caught Enrico Gualtieri (Ferrari) and Eric Meignan (Alpine), both Power Unit Technical Directors, in conversation. The topics of their discussion are unknown, but their manner and chosen location suggested something sensitive.

On the other hand, Mercedes appears to be the second candidate to supply Alpine with the 2026 power units. Regarding the idea of providing 2026 power units to Alpine, team principal Toto Wolff expressed openness but noted that the current situation is very “complicated.”

Alpine must make a decision

“It’s a complicated situation because we like the idea of replacing Aston Martin with another team due to the pure learning experience,” Toto Wolff responded to the media after the Silverstone GP when asked about the 2026 power unit supply. I think our organization is set up in such a way that the more power units [we supply], the better in terms of accelerating some developments or reliability. So that’s the point. Discussions have not gone beyond exchanging opinions and exploratory talks.” – the Mercedes boss added.

Regarding the complicated situation, Toto Wolff provided his perspective, saying, “Alpine must decide whether to continue its Formula 1 engine program.”

This statement underscores the need to understand the team’s future before developing a strategy. “Only once they make this strategic decision will we delve into our agreements, but we are open, and that’s what we’ve told them.” When asked if he expected a decision before the imminent summer break, Toto Wolff pointed out: “No, it is too complicated and impactful a decision for Alpine.”

James Vowles also weighed in on Alpine’s possible entry. “From our perspective, we have been working alongside HPP to fine-tune the right concept for ’26 for many, many months. So, whatever they do, they will be 6-12 months behind the other three teams. This is quite penalizing in the grand scheme of things.”

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