The news of Lewis Hamilton’s surprise move to leave Mercedes join Ferrari for the 2025 Formula One has been greeted with joy by the Italian media, with the Corriere Della Sera newspaper calling the move a “coup of global proportions”.
Hamilton is chasing a record eighth title which would take him past F1 icon Michael Schumacher, whose seven titles included five in succession with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004.
In a statement, the Corriere Della Sera said: “A team which created history in motor racing is being united with a great champion. I expect electric competition, race after race, which will drive up interest across the board.”
The Gazzetta Dello Sport newspaper also dedicated nine pages to Hamilton and Ferrari on Friday, a huge deal for a publication in which football dominates coverage.
But not even Sunday’s huge Serie A clash between Inter Milan and Juventus made the main front page story. The Gazzetta, instead, described Hamilton’s move as a “gamble”, in particular because Ferrari, who have not won the F1 driver’s championship since 2007 and the constructors’ since 2008, now need to provide him with “the perfect car to make history”.
The Gazzetta also highlighted how the move for Hamilton could create problems for Ferrari with Charles Leclerc, who recently signed a long-term contract with the Scuderia.
Turin-based daily La Stampa spoke to Riccardo Ceccarelli, the founder of the Formula Medicine training centre which works with Leclerc.
“Lewis doesn’t look his age and he still has a long career in front of him,” said Ceccarelli. “We tend to think of reaction times and reflexes as being the most important things in motor sport, but what counts more is motivation and Hamilton is super motivated.”
Disclaimer: This article was generated with AI, and overseen by a Scroll journalist.