Written by Lily Dixon, Edited by Meghana Sree
There are a few things every devout Tifosi must know if they want to be part of the Scuderia Ferrari fan club: the Italian national anthem, the phrase “Forza Ferrari Sempre,” and that Charles Leclerc is Il Predestinato: the predestined.
Up until 2025, Leclerc was the one predestined to bring the Scuderia back to its glory years. But with seven-time world champion and the most successful driver of all time, Lewis Hamilton, joining their stables, does Ferrari have a new Il Predestinato?
The Announcement
On the 1st of February 2024, the Scuderia announced that Hamilton, former Mercedes driver and champion, would be joining the team from 2025 onwards, replacing the Spaniard Carlos Sainz.
This bold move marks a new chapter in Hamilton’s illustrious career and signals a shift for Ferrari, who are aiming to win their first Drivers’ Championship since 2007 and Constructors’ Championship since 2008. Rather than investing in up-and-coming talent through their driver academy or extending Sainz—who won four races with the Italian team—they’ve opted for a curveball. Time will tell if their “going for broke” mentality will pay off.
The Public’s Thoughts
“I’m definitely anticipating Lewis [Hamilton] being a championship contender,” said McLaren CEO Zac Brown in an interview with Formula One. He also commented on Ferrari’s pace at the end of 2024, describing the performance gap between the two teams as marginal.
Not everyone was quick to jump on the Hamilton-in-red bandwagon, though. Fans rushed to Twitter and other forums following the news on the 1st of February to express their disdain and criticism, which Hamilton brushed off in an interview with TIME: “I never, ever reply to any of the older, ultimately white men who have commented on my career and what they think I should be doing,” he said.
“How you show up, how you present yourself, how you perform—slowly dispels that.”
His words rang true when crowds of over 7,000 people gathered around the Fiorano Circuit to watch him test the SF-25 for the first time on a cold Wednesday, creating a human barrier around a track with no grandstands. According to reports, Italian residents started showing up at 5 a.m. to get a spot close to the fence.
Papaya Rules in Racing Red?
Leclerc has been with Ferrari since 2019, having raced under their driver academy prior to the 2018 Formula 1 season where he debuted with Sauber. After beating out his teammate, four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel, he signed a five year contract, which was extended even further—to 2029—last January. His tenure with the team has established his role as their golden boy.
Hamilton, being a seven-time World Champion and Mercedes’ former golden boy, brings a new element to the table— possibly going head-to-head with Leclerc for the role of the number one driver and its privileges.
Ferrari’s primary competitor last season, McLaren, faced a similar battle in 2024 when Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri went head-to-head, alternating as each round’s Grand Prix winners and vying for the role of the number one driver as they worked toward winning the World Constructors’ Championship.
Though the Italian team won’t be donning the papaya color, they do have their own shade that’s been in play for much longer, winning over the hearts of F1 fans since their inception. Ferrari’s signature color, Rosso Corsa, has been referred to as Racing Red since the debut of the now-global sport in 1950. So, could we perhaps see Racing Red Rules come into play to determine the role of the predestined?
Who Comes Out On Top as "Il Predestinato"?
It’ll be a fight to the chequered flag, but if you base your answer on success rate and proven ability to win a world championship, you’d have to pick 105-time race winner Hamilton. You could also argue that being predestined is about fulfilling a prophecy— something Leclerc is still seeking.
Ferrari’s prophecy has been written for them since their first race victory in 1951: to win. Whether that means winning influence in motorsport governance or championships, they’ll be counting on their veteran recruit to bring back the Constructors’ trophy and the glory of F1 for the first time since 2008, further cementing Bernie Ecclestone’s phrase: “Formula 1 is Ferrari, and Ferrari is Formula 1.”
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