Valtteri Bottas’ “keen to see” remark about Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate

Valtteri Bottas is confident Lewis Hamilton will be “highly motivated” following his move to Ferrari, admitting he’s excited to see how his former teammate fares against Charles Leclerc.

The 40-year-old’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari is the major talking point heading into the 2025 F1 season.

Hamilton’s first weeks at Ferrari have dominated the media headlines, with a photograph in front of Enzo Ferrari’s old house breaking the record for the most likes on Instagram for an F1-related post.

The seven-time world champion has also been on-track with his new team, testing at Ferrari’s track at Fiorano before two tests in Barcelona.

Hamilton will be desperate to right the wrongs of last year, following a difficult final season with Mercedes.

Even though Hamilton won two races, he was comprehensively beaten by George Russell in 2024.

Bottas, who was Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes between 2017 and 2021, believes the change in team environment “can be a good trigger” for turning things around.

“I think he’s highly motivated for the year,” Bottas said to Sky Sports.

“It’s something new and refreshing for him. It can be a good trigger sometimes, but [I’m] keen to see how he gets on with Charles.”

Hamilton prepares for Ferrari launch

With the off-season testing over, Hamilton is looking forward to the launch of Ferrari’s 2025 car next week.

The SF-25 will be launched on February 19, and Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will give it its first run-out later that day.

This will give both drivers some early insight into the new car ahead of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Unlike in recent seasons, the season-opener will take place at Albert Park in Melbourne.

Melbourne has traditionally been a strong track for Hamilton, with eight pole positions and 10 podium finishes.

Ferrari have won four of the last six races in Australia.