Hamilton on a path to re-write the history books

History beckons for Lewis Hamilton as he debuts for the Ferrari Formula 1 team at this weekend’s FORMULA 1 LOUIS VUITTON AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2025 at Albert Park but, possibly, not in the way that even hardcore Ferrari fans might realise.

After one title with McLaren in 2008 and six with Mercedes-AMG, the Briton will be looking to add one more in the red of Maranello.

If he can take out the World Drivers’ Championship, he will also continue a tradition that has followed first-year Ferrari drivers for 20 years – and that could mean bad news for his teammate, Charles Leclerc.

For as long as Hamilton has raced in Formula 1®, every first-year Ferrari driver has beaten his teammate in the pointscore at the end of the season. 

In 2007, the new man in red was Kimi Raikkonen, who took out the World title, while teammate Felipe Massa finished fourth.

Massa was on the receiving end three years later, finishing sixth while his brand-new teammate, Fernando Alonso, was second, behind Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull.

In 2015, it was Vettel’s turn to take the upper hand at Ferrari, beating teammate Raikkonen to third in the championship that Hamilton won.

In 2019, Leclerc repaid the team's faith in him, when the former Sauber driver took fourth, one place up from teammate Vettel.

However, Leclerc was on the receiving end in 2021, taking seventh and watching new teammate Carlos Sainz smoothly operate his way to fifth in the points.

History suggests that Hamilton may continue that trend.

But, hands up, does anyone want to break that news to Leclerc?