Fernando Alonso believes Lewis Hamilton can “bring the extra fight” needed to help Ferrari end its protracted Formula 1 title drought when he moves to the team in 2025.
Hamilton stunned the sporting world earlier this month when it was revealed that he will depart Mercedes at the end of this year to complete a switch to Ferrari from next year.
The Briton has been aligned with Mercedes his entire F1 career and a move to the marque’s works team in 2013 saw him become the sport’s most successful driver.
Hamilton had expressed his desire to remain associated with the brand through to his “last days” and signed a two-year contract extension with Mercedes back in August.
Alonso admitted that Hamilton’s decision was an “unexpected” one to him due to the common perception that he would remain committed to the German manufacturer.
“I didn’t spend too much time, I was training actually that day, so I missed all the stress from everybody,” Alonso recalled when speaking to media including Motorsport Week. “I was just one day late on the news.
“I don’t know, probably it was a surprise, I will not lie. But not because the change itself, it was just because from the outside, it seemed like he was very linked with Mercedes and very loyal to them and things like that. It was a little bit unexpected.
“I don’t know the reasons behind, I don’t know anything, the stories, so it’s more a question for him.
“But yeah, I didn’t pay too much attention, and probably next week it’s going to be more of a theme because still, one year ahead, I didn’t spend much time thinking.”
Alonso had the experience of driving for Ferrari between 2010 and 2014 but failed to deliver a championship amid the crushing dominance of Red Bull and then Mercedes.
Red Bull has since returned to being the pre-eminent force after F1’s switch to ground effect aero in 2022, racking up 39 victories from 44 races and successive title doubles.
However, Ferrari was the team that prevented the champions from completing a clean sweep and proved to be a consistent threat over one lap in the closing rounds.
With the Italian marque enduring a drought dating back to 2008, Alonso has suggested the seven-time champion could deliver the added edge to help the side over the line.
When asked what advice he could offer his former McLaren team-mate, Alonso answered: “I don’t know.
“It was not his childhood dream 12 months ago or two months ago, I guess, because it was a different dream. Nothing really to comment.
“I hope he enjoys the experience. I think it’s a very special team, but it is more special when you win. That’s the thing, you need to win, and it’s a few years already that they have a very fast car and they were fighting for big things, and maybe Lewis can bring that extra to fight for the championship.
“The car is there. At the end of last year, even with a very dominating Red Bull car, Ferrari was still able to match the lap time and be faster than them in most of the qualifyings. I think the car should be fast enough.”
Both Hamilton and the man he is replacing at Ferrari Carlos Sainz will have to encounter the situation of concluding the upcoming season with their current respective teams.
It is reminiscent of the circumstance that Alonso experienced when he opted to sign for McLaren for 2007 on the eve of his title defence getting underway with Renault.
“I don’t know, for me it was not a big difference,” Alonso responded when questioned on if there were positives and negatives to the move being confirmed now.
“2006 [with Renault] I started the season. Very OK, I think with the team and very relaxed with a very good atmosphere. And for me it didn’t change much.
“It did change maybe for the team a little bit because halfway through the season they were just testing things or programming things for the following year and I was not involved in those things because they kept some secrets from me, which was understandable.
“So I think from the driver point of view it doesn’t change much, for the team they try to hide a few things in the second part of the year.”
Despite the revelation that Hamilton’s Mercedes deal forbids him from luring engineers to Ferrari, the Maranello camp could stand to still prize personnel across.
Pressed on whether he had heard that could materialise and if some Aston Martin members could be targeted, Alonso retorted: “Ummm, I don’t know. I have no info and I don’t care what Lewis Hamilton is doing.”
