Bold Lewis Hamilton claim made if Ferrari give him "a fast car" in F1 2025

Ex-F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya thinks that “nobody can beat” Lewis Hamilton if Ferrari give him a “fast car” in 2025, dismissing suggestions that he’s lost any of his inherent raw speed.

Last season was difficult for Hamilton as he bowed out of Mercedes after 12 years.

However, the smile is back on Hamilton’s face after a busy first week at Maranello.

Hamilton met all his new mechanics and engineers in Italy before taking to the track for the first time in the 2023 Ferrari.

The seven-time world champion is expected to be in action again later this week in Barcelona as Ferrari prepare for pre-season testing in Bahrain.

While Ferrari are expected to be near the front once again, there are still question marks over Hamilton’s level of performance.

He only managed to out-qualify teammate George Russell five times last year, and often struggled with his one-lap pace.

Speaking to Crash.net via CasinoApps, Montoya feels that the “old Hamilton” could return if given the right machinery.

“What happened to Lewis Hamilton is what happened to Fernando Alonso,” he said.

“They still have 100 per cent of their speed, but they will still somehow qualify just in the top 10. If the car is capable of winning, then they would be much higher.

“If Hamilton has a fast car this season, we’ll see the old Hamilton from a few years ago, the Hamilton that nobody can beat, not even Max Verstappen. But the question for Ferrari is how will they keep him motivated?”

One eye on F1’s 2026 rules

One crucial factor in 2025 will be teams balancing their efforts this year versus next year.

2026 will see entirely new power unit and chassis rules introduced.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has described the rule changes as the biggest in the sport’s history.

As a result, some teams may abandon their hopes in 2025 to entirely focus on next year.

Ferrari and McLaren will likely go all-out in 2025, given how strong they were last season.

Aston Martin and Mercedes might have a better chance of becoming a title contender in 2026.

Montoya added: “Ferrari are putting all their eggs in the basket so they can compete this season, Mercedes don’t have to risk much, McLaren have a huge opportunity to keep dominating before the 2026 regulation changes, where they could become average.”