Ferrari is under immense pressure heading into 2025, according to former Haas team principal Gunther Steiner.
Despite winning the Shanghai sprint from pole position, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton currently sits only ninth in the standings. However, he is still ahead of his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc.
Following the significant pre-season buzz, Ferrari faced a harsh reality check in China when both Hamilton and Leclerc were disqualified due to separate technical violations.
“The team is under enormous pressure, mainly because of Lewis,” Steiner told Speed Week. “No matter what happens, he is always the focus of attention. But Ferrari must have known what they were signing up for when they brought him in.”
Financially, Hamilton’s arrival has been highly beneficial for Ferrari. Sportswear giant Puma has reported an astonishing eightfold increase in merchandise sales compared to the previous year.
“A significant portion of this revenue flows directly back to Ferrari through licensing fees,” explained Auto Motor und Sport journalist Tobias Gruner. “This could help offset a large part of Hamilton’s salary, which is believed to exceed 50 million euros.”
Steiner also noted that Mercedes is experiencing the opposite effect.
“Even without Hamilton, Mercedes is performing well,” he said. “But their drivers are almost invisible to the public. The media is far more focused on Ferrari and Hamilton, despite Mercedes currently delivering stronger results. This highlights Hamilton’s extraordinary appeal, which even outshines Ferrari’s usual allure.”
Former Italian racing driver and TV pundit Davide Valsecchi shared a similar perspective in Corriere dello Sport.
“Everyone is talking about Lewis – whether it’s his love for pizza or his Agnelli-inspired fashion choices,” Valsecchi remarked.
He also suggested that Hamilton’s presence has reduced the pressure on Leclerc. “Charles is no longer seen as Ferrari’s sole hope, which could work in his favor. In the second half of last season, he was more consistent than ever.”
Looking ahead, Valsecchi predicted that the current driver hierarchy is led by Lando Norris, followed by Leclerc, Max Verstappen, and then Hamilton.
Leave a Reply