Lewis Hamilton admits “keeping an eye” on Ferrari competitiveness

Lewis Hamilton has confessed to watching the good form of Ferrari, his future team.

Hamilton has just four races left with Mercedes, starting this weekend at the F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

He will team with Charles Leclerc, and team principal Fred Vasseur, in 2025 at Ferrari.

Last weekend in Mexico, Hamilton was fourth while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz won the grand prix. Leclerc was on the podium.

Leclerc won a week earlier in Texas, with Sainz on the podium.

He admitted to monitoring Ferrari: “I'm very interested in my future, of course.

“And so, in that respect, keeping an eye, yeah. Watching everything that happens.”

Ferrari have won five grands prix this season, compared to Mercedes’ three in a row mid-way through the campaign.

Ferrari’s excellent recent form - winning both of the past two grands prix, with both drivers on the podium - has raised expectation of what Hamilton might achieve in 2025.

'We all watch the video...'

Hamilton admitted he is encouraged by the competitiveness he sees from his future employers.

“Of course,” he said. “It's been, you know, through the year, the beginning of the year, if you look at somewhere like maybe China already, but the Red Bull was like a second ahead.

“And it's been quite incredible to see the McLaren rise and then the Ferrari in the last few races, to see their progress.

“[I am] just trying to keep an eye on everyone's car and what they're changing and what they're adding.

“You know, we all watch the video, all the drivers, we all watch the onboard laps and we're always trying to see where we can gain time.

“And there's some cars that just react differently and better or worse in certain areas.

“And you're trying to figure out how you can find that within either your balance or get the team to develop the car in that direction.”

Ferrari have shot above Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, into second-place behind McLaren.

Should the Italian manufacturer maintain its hot streak, Hamilton could be joining the F1 constructors’ champions.

But Hamilton regretted that Mercedes are not in the thick of the constructors’ scrap.

“Of course that's what we would have all loved, to have been in the fight for the championship,” he said.

“That's what everyone works towards. We knew at the beginning of the year it was going to be tough as soon as we hit the ground and we didn't expect to also have some of the success we had.

“Obviously, Silverstone, everyone worked so hard to get that result, which I'm so incredibly grateful to the team for.

“But yeah, I know this team so well, and I know that the results and the position we're in this year will just only fuel them even more to work harder to have a better car next year.

“And no, I'm not really watching much up ahead, unless I'm in the battle or behind, like in the last race.

“I saw them for a second, and then they were gone. But yeah, I'm just focusing on trying to do the best job I can.”