Sebastian Vettel highlights the “biggest shift” Lewis Hamilton must overcome at Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel believes the change in culture at Ferrari is the biggest challenge Lewis Hamilton will have to overcome to succeed.

Hamilton will race for Ferrari for the first time at this weekend’s season-opening F1 Australian Grand Prix.

The British driver is tasked with becoming Ferrari’s first F1 world champion since 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen.

Since then, Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, and Vettel have come close, but ultimate success eluded them.

Ferrari are expected to challenge for both titles in 2025 following a strong end to last year.

Vettel, one of Hamilton’s close friends who raced for Ferrari between 2015 and 2020, gave his perspective on the seven-time world champion’s move to Maranello.

Speaking to Nine.com.au, Vettel said: “It’s big. Anybody who changes team, it’s a big move. New people you work with is probably the biggest one.

“It’s a different culture. Obviously most of the teams are English, only two are Italian. That’s probably the biggest shift.”

“Special” moment for Hamilton

Vettel joined Ferrari in 2015, hoping to replicate his idol, Michael Schumacher, in bringing a world title to Ferrari.

The German pushed Hamilton hard in 2017, but poor reliability and an incident on the opening lap of the Singapore Grand Prix curtailed Vettel’s season.

Ferrari were slightly stronger than Mercedes for much of the 2018 season, at least up until Singapore, but Vettel made a number of key mistakes, including crashing out of the German Grand Prix.

This ultimately handed the title to Hamilton and Mercedes with a few races to go.

Vettel would be out-performed by Charles Leclerc across 2019 and 2020, leaving the team at the end of the COVID-hit season.

Vettel says driving for Ferrari will be “special” for Hamilton, even if they didn’t have the same childhood hero.

“I grew up watching Michael. He was my hero and he was most of the time in red, so to me it felt different because of that.

“I’m not sure Lewis had the same dream, but I think it’s special for anyone who gets the chance to step into the red car.”