Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari Car Number Confirmed For 2025 Season
Lewis Hamilton is one of the top-profile drivers in Formula 1. With him now about to open the new chapter of his brilliant career, each single detail was awaited with the greatest interest from the fans and media. One of the most discussed topics of the transition has been what car number the seven-time champion will select during his first season in the Italian squad. Finally, the wait is over, as Hamilton has confirmed that he will keep his iconic number 44 for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Significance of Number 44
It comes as no surprise that Hamilton decided to stick with his favorite number, 44, given the very personal relationship he has with this number. This is a number he has had in his entire racing life, right from when he started karting. Once, Hamilton revealed that the number plate on his father’s red Cavalier had the number F44 when he started racing, and it then “became the family’s lucky number”. This attachment has then made number 44 synonymous with Hamilton’s identity in Formula 1.
Through the dominant years with Mercedes, it became a number that is associated with superiority and record-winning performances. Adorned by the car that won him six out of seven championships and many race wins, Hamilton had carried the number to Ferrari, staying true to his personal convention and the spirit of continuity it carries.
Hamilton’s Move to Ferrari: A New Era Begins
Confirmation of Hamilton’s car number is the latest piece of the jigsaw in what is shaping up to be one of the most-anticipated driver moves in recent Formula 1 history. Having spent 12 years with Mercedes, where he enjoyed unprecedented success, news that Hamilton would be trading in his silver arrows for red to join Ferrari for the 2025 season sent shockwaves through the motorsport world.
Ferrari is the most successful team in Formula 1 history and has not won a drivers’ championship since 2007, coincidentally Hamilton’s rookie year in the sport. To many, Hamilton and Ferrari are a match made in heaven, with compelling storylines running through every element of this new alliance.
Project 677: The New Ferrari Car
Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari coincides with the team’s development of an all-new car for the 2025 season, codenamed Project 677. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed this new machine will be “completely new,” with less than one percent of parts in common with the 2024 car. This bold approach shows Ferrari’s commitment to providing Hamilton with a competitive package from the outset.
Project 677 is also being masterminded by the French engineer, Loic Serra, whose numerous collaborations alongside Hamilton during his title-winning heyday at Mercedes only ceased as it emerged that he would switch onto the Brackley-based F1 concern towards the backend of 2012. “Serra will specialize within one particular section at the core: vehicle dynamics in this aspect, more important suspension components around.” F1-nerd.com. End.
Addressing Hamilton’s Qualifying Concerns
One of the most intriguing aspects of Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari would be how it could potentially reignite his qualifying form. During the 2024 season, Hamilton was outqualified by his Mercedes teammate George Russell in 19 out of 24 races. Quite uncharacteristically, such a performance raised questions over whether the current generation of Formula 1 cars suited Hamilton’s driving style.
Ex-McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley has been quoted as suggesting that Hamilton’s performance “clearly disappeared” at Mercedes—not through a loss of talent, but perhaps because of the “specific” requirements of the current Formula 1 cars. It is to this that Project 677 hopes to change with its inherent improvements in vehicle dynamics and tire management to allow Hamilton to recapture his qualifying magic.
Preparing for the 2025 Season
Ferrari is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that Hamilton is well prepared for his maiden season with the team. There are reports of the Scuderia adding another private test in Hamilton’s pre-season schedule, with another trip scheduled to happen in Barcelona toward the end of January 13.
This extensive testing program will help acclimatize Hamilton with Ferrari’s systems and working practices long before the official pre-season tests.
Hamilton will make his first public appearance as a Ferrari driver at the special Formula 1 season launch event on February 18, 2025, staged at London’s O2 arena. The following day, February 19, sees the official launch of Ferrari’s 2025 car and fans getting their first glimpse of Hamilton in the iconic red overalls.
The Challenge Ahead
On the cusp of putting on the famous Ferrari red, though, Hamilton will carry the monumental burden of ending the championship drought slipped away from. Not since 2008 has Ferrari won a constructors’ championship, and the last drivers’ title came their way in 2007. This isn’t about adding to Hamilton’s impressive seven-world-championship tally; it is optionally about writing a new chapter in the storied history of F1’s most celebrated team.
The partnership between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc is going to be one of the most formidable combinations on the grid at the start of the 2025 season. Just like Leclerc, with his blitzing pace and eight race wins to his credit, will remain a stern in-house test from within for Hamilton come 2014, there is no doubt that the dynamic these world-class drivers set into motion this season will be greatly instrumental in developing Ferrari’s aim to return to the top once again in the Formula 1 tournament.
The Legacy of Hamilton and Future Ambitions
Going into this new chapter in his career, Hamilton’s legacy within F1 was secured, having seven world championships, 103 race victories, 104 pole positions, and 201 podium finishes—just some of the accolades that have made him one of the most successful drivers to have taken to the chequered flag in the history of the sport. Now 40, which some might consider elderly in motorsport circles, joining Ferrari marks a point that he still retains a burning desire for more silverware and has total confidence in his capability to compete at the sharp end for a good while longer.
Hamilton has previously said that he wants to race “well into my 40s,” and the inference of a “multi-year” Ferrari contract could well be beyond 2026. This commitment gives evidence of Hamilton’s belief in the project at Ferrari and his ability to fit in and find his feet in new surroundings.
The Larger Ramification of Hamilton’s Move
Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is a significant move for himself and his team but has a far-reaching influence on Formula 1 in general. The deal has thrilled fans as a whole and has been expected to boost interest in the sport worldwide. It is a marketer’s dream, or seeing one of the best drivers of all time on the most iconic car on the grid, which probably will further increase the views and engagement about Formula 1.
Besides, Hamilton’s presence at Ferrari could help with the team’s technical development and operational processes. His experience and feedback, honed over years of success with Mercedes, could prove invaluable as Ferrari seeks to close the gap to the front of the grid.
Conclusion
With Lewis Hamilton about to begin his Ferrari adventure with the trusted number 44 adorning the scarlet car, the Formula 1 world awaits with bated breath. Putting together the unbridled experience and success of Hamilton with the rich heritage and renewed technical focus of Ferrari presents an interesting prospect for the 2025 season and beyond.
It retains the same iconic number of his predecessor—a symbol of continuity with a link to the glorious past and the promising future ahead onboard at Ferrari. With Project 677 finally materializing, so is the first Melbourne race; it means everything is ready for what could be one of the most exciting seasons of recent times in Formula 1.
Whether Hamilton will be able to contribute to his impressive tally of championships and bring Ferrari back to the pinnacle is yet to be seen. But one thing is for sure: with number 44 in a Ferrari, the 2025 Formula 1 season is going to be an event which no fan would want to miss.
