Lewis Hamilton sent warning over Ferrari teammate situation compared to Mercedes

Ex-F1 team manager Peter Windsor doesn’t expect to see the same Lewis Hamilton that dominated at Mercedes when he races for Ferrari this season.

Hamilton is making the seismic switch to Maranello after 12 years with Mercedes for 2025.

The Hamilton-Mercedes partnership was legendary, winning six drivers’ and eight constructors’ titles.

However, Mercedes’ failure to understand the current ‘ground effect’ rules caused Hamilton to grow frustrated.

Instead, he decided to fulfil a childhood dream of his by joining Ferrari for the next two years.

Hamilton faces a massive task as he takes on Charles Leclerc, arguably the fastest driver in F1 over a single lap.

Windsor, a respected F1 observer, believes Hamilton won’t be able to replicate his Mercedes success due to the calibre of his teammate.

“If you think the Lewis at Ferrari will be the Lewis that dominated at Mercedes, think again. Because he had a very good teammate that allowed him to do that, who allowed him to do that,” Windsor said via his YouTube channel.

“Not Nico Rosberg but Valtteri Bottas, and he had a great car. It’s not detracting from Lewis, but the situation is not the same - Leclerc is not Bottas. He’s much, much quicker.”

Hamilton’s history with tough F1 teammates

Hamilton isn’t unfamiliar with having a tough teammate alongside him. 

He went head-to-head with two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso in his first year with the team.

In 2010, he partnered with reigning world champion Jenson Button.

During his Mercedes stint, he went up against Nico Rosberg and then George Russell, who proved to be a stern challenge.

It will be no different in 2025 when Hamilton goes up against Leclerc.

Leclerc has never lost a qualifying head-to-head against his teammate during his F1 career, stretching back to 2018.