Lewis Hamilton Tipped To 'Push The Limits' At Ferrari By Former Mercedes Teammate

Saajan Jogia | Feb 3, 2025

Lewis Hamilton / Ferrari Press Imag

Lewis Hamilton's former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg has backed him for his move to Ferrari, noting that his drive to "push the limits" and his love for the sport has "put himself back in the game."

Rosberg retired from the premier class of motorsport after the 2016 season, the year he won his first championship title with Mercedes. Thus, Hamilton's determination to keep racing even at 40 years of age, received praise from his former teammate.

Hamilton's arrival at Ferrari on January 20 sparked a massive reaction from fans and the media, even catching Piero Ferrari, son of the team's founder Enzo Ferrari, by surprise. With the growing excitement around Ferrari's new signing of the F1 icon, the team appears to be one of the favorites for the 2025 season.

The seven-time world champion's quest for his eighth world title and his dream to race for Ferrari led him to sign with the Maranello outfit before the 2024 season. In addition, Hamilton's struggles with Mercedes in recent years of the ground effect era that began in 2022, particularly surrounding the team's inability to hand him a flawless car capable of winning races in varying conditions, was also said to have been a motivating factor in his decision to make the switch.

The Briton's Ferrari onboarding followed two Testing of Previous Cars sessions at Fiorano and Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Hamilton's third run will reportedly take place on 4 and 5 February in Barcelona to test Pirelli's 2026 tire compound. Commenting on Hamilton's fresh journey in F1, which Rosberg believes could rekindle his passion this season, he told Gazzetta dello Sport, as reported by PlanetF1:

“Lewis has nothing to prove and yet he has put himself back in the game; he continues to push the limits.

“Lewis is driven by a deep love for the sport and a desire to continue to push his limits.

“A change like the one he will face this year can rekindle passion.

“Lewis is already a legend, he would have nothing to prove, but his choice shows the hunger of a man who wants to continue to grow, both as a driver and as a person.”

Rosberg was a key contender alongside Hamilton at Mercedes, but the German driver quit the sport when he was at the peak of his career. When asked if he regretted his decision to retire, Rosberg said:

“No, I have no regrets. I fulfilled my dream of becoming World Champion and I wanted to leave at the peak of my career. By retiring, I was able to spend more time with my family and start my career as an investor. I did what I felt and it was right for me.”