Lewis Hamilton’s high-profile move to Ferrari has been described as having “all the hallmarks of a fairytale,” with expectations soaring as he prepares for his Melbourne debut in the iconic red.

Sky F1 pundit Bernie Collins believes that Hamilton’s late-career switch could breathe new life into the seven-time World Champion, potentially ushering in “Lewis 2.0” on the Formula 1 grid.

Can Ferrari Unlock ‘Lewis 2.0’ in 2025?

Collins, a former Aston Martin head of strategy, admits she was taken aback when she first heard about Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes after 12 seasons and six world titles. However, a year later, that initial shock has transformed into excitement about what the sport’s most successful driver can achieve alongside his new teammate, Charles Leclerc, at Ferrari.

“This time last year I was shocked, but the more I’ve seen Lewis in red, the more I’ve seen his excitement at being in that car, he’s like a revitalised Lewis,” Collins told PlanetF1.com.

She highlighted that Hamilton has always thrived when faced with a challenge, a sentiment echoed by her partner, Ryan McGarva, who previously worked with Hamilton at Mercedes. “My other half [Ryan McGarva] worked with Lewis for a little while [at Mercedes] and tells me Lewis always did well in a year where he was challenged and up for it.”

Collins believes that Ferrari itself, as well as the battle against Leclerc, will be major tests for Hamilton. “Ferrari is going to be a challenge, beating Leclerc is going to be a challenge. So I think we’re going to see Lewis 2.0.”

Embracing the Ferrari Project

Since officially joining Ferrari and reuniting with team principal Fred Vasseur—who was instrumental in Hamilton’s early single-seater career—the Brit has fully immersed himself in his new environment.

Hamilton set up his motorhome close to Fiorano, Ferrari’s private racetrack, and even started learning Italian. Driving a Scuderia Ferrari car for the first time was, in his own words, “one of the best feelings” of his life.

“I don’t have the words to really explain just how excited I am,” Hamilton shared in a BBC interview. “I’m embarking on something brand new for me and something I didn’t think would happen when I turned 40.”

The magnitude of the moment hasn’t been lost on the F1 legend. “I’m still like pinching myself. I’m going to be starting a grand prix in red. I mean, wow.”

The Challenge Ahead

Ever since news of Hamilton’s move broke in February last year, the impact has been felt across the F1 world. With the most successful and influential driver in history now part of its most legendary team, expectations are sky-high.

Collins believes that Hamilton’s drive to compete has been reignited after several frustrating seasons at Mercedes. “I think we’re going to see a step up from the last three years where he’s been a bit upset that Mercedes weren’t going to turn things around.”

Since losing the 2021 title, Hamilton has not been in direct contention for a championship, but Collins predicts that is about to change. “Now we’re going to see Lewis fighting. It has all the hallmarks of a fairytale.”

The Key Battles for Hamilton

Currently, Hamilton is ranked fourth in the Drivers’ ante-post betting odds, behind Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and his new teammate, Leclerc.

Collins identifies a crucial challenge for Hamilton: “The big question is can he beat Leclerc in qualifying? Can he have the upper hand in the race? Qualifying is going to be Lewis’ challenge.”

She believes that a strong start could set the tone for his season. “If he can come out rolling in the first few races it’s going to be exciting. If he gets a taste of it in the first few races he’s going to be pretty hard to stop.”

As another Formula 1 season kicks off at Albert Park with the Australian Grand Prix, it’s a perfect time to revisit one of the most dramatic moments in the race’s history Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from the 2009 Australian Grand Prix.

The reigning World Champion at the time, Hamilton’s podium finish was ultimately erased after an FIA investigation revealed misleading statements from McLaren.

But how did it all unfold?

The Chaos of the 2009 Australian Grand Prix

Before the season even began, Formula 1 was already embroiled in controversy. McLaren and Renault had threatened to boycott the season opener, citing unpaid funds that were contingent on signing the new Concorde Agreement.

Eventually, both teams decided to race, but another issue emerged concerns over Brawn, Toyota, and Williams’ new diffusers. Although initially deemed legal, the debate raged on.

When the race began, Jenson Button led the field for Brawn GP, avoiding the chaos that erupted behind him.

His teammate Rubens Barrichello stalled at the start, setting off a chain reaction that saw Mark Webber’s Red Bull collide with Heikki Kovalainen’s McLaren, with Adrian Sutil and Nick Heidfeld also caught in the wreckage.

The race was further disrupted by two safety car appearances first for Kazuki Nakajima’s crash on Lap 18, and then for a dramatic collision between Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica on Lap 56.

Vettel, attempting to continue with a broken wheel, eventually stopped between Turns 10 and 11, forcing the race to end under caution.

Button secured his first victory on the road to his eventual World Championship, leading a Brawn 1-2 finish.

Behind them, Jarno Trulli (Toyota) took third place, but his podium finish was immediately put under scrutiny after he was suspected of passing Lewis Hamilton under safety car conditions a violation of Article 40.14 of the 2009 regulations.

It wasn’t long before Trulli received a 25-second penalty, dropping him from third to 12th, while Hamilton was promoted to the podium. But this was only the beginning of the controversy.

Hamilton’s Disqualification: The Fallout from Misleading the FIA

Following the race, Toyota appealed Trulli’s penalty, though the regulations prevented time penalties from being overturned if issued within the final five laps.

The matter was escalated to the International Court of Appeal, where new evidence turned the case upside down.

On April 2, 2009, both Trulli and Hamilton were summoned to appear before the FIA. The game-changer? Radio transmissions from McLaren’s garage.

The recordings did not contain any instructions for Hamilton to slow down and let Trulli pass contradicting both Hamilton’s and McLaren’s previous statements.

The FIA was furious.

In an official statement, the FIA declared that Hamilton and McLaren had misled race officials, stating:

“The stewards, having learned about the radio exchanges and the media interview, felt strongly that they had been misled by the driver and his team manager.”

Adding to the controversy, neither Hamilton nor McLaren had corrected the record, even after knowing Trulli was being penalized unfairly.

As a result, Hamilton was disqualified from the race, McLaren lost its constructors’ points, and team sporting director Dave Ryan was fired.

McLaren also received a suspended three-race ban, meaning any similar infraction within 12 months would see them barred from competition. Team principal Martin Whitmarsh defended McLaren, saying:

“There is no implication that Lewis lied to the stewards… What they believe is that the omission of the information about the radio communication between the team was withheld and that is misleading.”

With Spygate the 2007 scandal where McLaren was caught with Ferrari trade secrets still fresh in everyone’s minds, the team’s reputation took another major hit.

Facing immense backlash, a 24-year-old Hamilton publicly apologized, stating:

“I could not tell you how sorry I am for the embarrassment… I sincerely apologize to the race stewards for wasting their time and making them look silly.”

He continued:

“I want to say sorry to all my fans. I am not a liar or a dishonest person, I am a team player. If the team asks me to do something, I generally do it. But I felt awkward and uncomfortable.”

Despite the controversy, Hamilton still managed to win two races that season (Hungary and Singapore) and finished fifth in the World Drivers’ Championship, while McLaren secured third in the Constructors’ standings.

Hamilton’s 2023 Disqualification: A Different Story, Same Result

The 2009 Australian Grand Prix wasn’t the only time Hamilton has been disqualified from a race. In 2023, at the United States Grand Prix, he faced a similar fate—though for vastly different reasons.

The Circuit of The Americas (COTA) is known for its bumpy surface, and teams were already concerned about the impact on their cars. That concern became reality when Hamilton, after finishing second, was later disqualified for a technical violation.

The FIA’s post-race inspection found excessive wear on his car’s skid block, which is designed to ensure compliance with ride height regulations. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc suffered the same issue and was also disqualified.

Although technical disqualifications are routine, it was still a bitter pill for Hamilton, especially after a strong podium finish in what had been a challenging season for Mercedes.

While the 2009 Australian GP disqualification was a result of misleading race officials, the 2023 United States GP disqualification was purely technical.

Both incidents, however, serve as reminders of how ruthless and unforgiving Formula 1 can be.

In 2009, Hamilton was thrust into controversy over what McLaren failed to disclose, while in 2023, he was a victim of strict FIA technical regulations.

But through all the highs and lows, Hamilton has remained one of the sport’s greatest drivers, proving that even moments of disqualification can’t overshadow a legacy built on pure racing talent.

Mercedes is entering a new chapter in Formula 1, with 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli stepping in to replace the legendary Lewis Hamilton.

With Hamilton’s move to Ferrari confirmed for 2025, team principal Toto Wolff had major decisions to make regarding the future of the team.

Initially, Wolff considered a straight swap with Carlos Sainz, but the Spaniard ultimately signed with Williams.

Max Verstappen was another potential target, but the reigning four-time world champion remained committed to Red Bull.

This left Antonelli with the monumental task of stepping into Hamilton’s shoes a challenge he’s determined to take on without direct comparisons to the seven-time world champion.

Despite his young age and lack of F1 race experience, Antonelli has already shown flashes of brilliance in pre-season testing.

Completing thousands of miles across multiple sessions in Bahrain, he quickly caught the attention of the paddock with a standout performance.

Kimi Antonelli ‘Turned a Lot of Heads’ with Bahrain Race Simulation

During an episode of the Unlapped Podcast, journalist Laurence Edmondson shared insights on Antonelli’s impressive showing in Bahrain.

“I’ve been incredibly impressed by Antonelli because one of the reasons that a lot of people have them as the second-fastest [team] was his race simulation from the second day of testing,” Edmondson said.

“That’s an opportunity to really understand where the cars are because they’re not just running on low fuel and doing single laps, they’ve got to start with a race tank of fuel and they burn it down.

“So, it’s a lot easier to make comparisons. There are still lots of variables that can lead you astray. But either way, the Mercedes looked like it was on pace with the Ferrari.

“And that’s impressive in itself if you think where Mercedes were last year. But that was a Mercedes being driven by Kimi Antonelli in what was his first proper race simulation on actual Pirelli tyres.

“So, he was able to do that and keep pace with Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari in roughly the same conditions, and I think that turned a lot of heads.

“And I think a lot of people thought, well, that is impressive.”

Antonelli’s ability to match Leclerc’s pace in a race simulation suggests that Mercedes might be much closer to the front of the grid than expected.

However, skepticism remains about how their performance will translate to actual race conditions.

Mercedes Faces Uncertainty Ahead of the Australian Grand Prix

Despite the strong testing results, questions linger over whether Mercedes can maintain this form when racing gets underway in Melbourne.

Edmondson pointed out that the cool conditions in Bahrain may have played a role in their impressive pace.

“Their testing form looked really very good. We put them, I think, third, but you could put an argument together to say they were the second-fastest team behind McLaren.

“The reason we’re still a little bit sceptical is because the conditions were unusually cold in Bahrain. One thing we learned about the Mercedes last year is that when the conditions were cold, the car came alive.

“So if we turn up in a hot Melbourne—I think the forecast is quite hot—will that performance just bleed away like it did so often last year?”

The pressure is now on George Russell, who steps into the role of team leader in Hamilton’s absence. Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz believes Russell has what it takes to secure a podium finish at the Australian Grand Prix.

However, given Antonelli’s rapid adaptation in Bahrain, it would be unwise to count out the rookie from making an impact in his F1 debut.

As the new season begins, all eyes will be on Mercedes to see if Antonelli’s pre-season promise can translate into real race-day results.