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Lewis Hamilton’s contract signing with Ferrari for 2025 caused a commotion in the motorsport world and was the subject of heated debates regarding the British driver’s capability to remain the best in the sport. A month before Hamilton’s birthday, the question had already been posed if the combination of Hamilton and the legendary Scuderia would be triumphant under the newly introduced 2026 regulations, and this question evoked a rush of hundreds of illuminating and controversial answers from among the motorsport community.
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Numerous people pointed to the circumstance of the post on Hamilton’s birthday. One person, very incisively, stated, ‘What a peculiar way to wish someone a happy birthday,’ and a second person remarked, ‘No feeling. Fake birthday post to generate BS content.’ This supposed insensitivity gave the already heated discussion about the 39-year-old British racer’s current performance and future prospects additional fuel.
The discussion was almost entirely based on Hamilton’s recent performance as compared to his co-drivers. A dominant, derogatory theme was quoted by those who did not support a Hamilton comeback. One comment read, ‘My dude got trashed by Leclerc and Russell in the same car.’ ‘He’s unfortunately done,’ another comment said. A third one, a little more pessimistic, stated, ‘The guy was always washed-up. No way he can ever bounce back when he is being totally OWNED by his teammate.’ The hard times of the 2024 season are interpreted by this view as a sign of Hamilton’s point of no return as he has been unable to match his more youthful teammates, George Russell and Charles Leclerc, in terms of performance.
The 42-year-old Aston Martin racer Fernando Alonso, who still manages to showcase his extraordinary talent, was the one whose shadow seemingly loomed over the comparisons. ‘Why is it that you never question Alonso like that??’ a person provocatively asked. Someone else pointed out, ‘Because Alonso wouldn’t lose the head-to-head with Leclerc 19-3,’ thus directly contrasting the two legends’ presumed competitiveness. According to this view, Hamilton’s struggles are not just a matter of age but are solely his.
On the other hand, Hamilton had a group of loyal fans to defend him and they also claimed he was in a tough situation. ‘Yes, he can as long as Ferrari support him,’ one optimist prophetically said, putting the duty on the team. Another supporter went on to say that the last races didn’t matter: ‘He was the fastest non-Red Bull driver in 2023 with a fast but not great car. It’s still in him.’ This perspective implies that Hamilton’s extraordinary talent is only waiting for the right car and surroundings to be revealed again.
Amid performance evaluations, it was some of the reactions that brought up the theme of the bigger story. A user on the social media predicted a very pessimistic scenario about the prolongation of his career in the shape of a non-competitive farewell: ‘He’s probably gonna spend another 2 years or so… gonna be like Kimi’s farewell tour with Alfa Romeo.’ Others countered the very premise, referring to his long-term contract: ‘Do you know he’s on contract until 2028?’
The diversity of the responses illustrated the great impact that is already associated with Hamilton’s move in his career. Transferring to Ferrari is not only a matter of changing teams; it is the last and greatest ending of the saga of Formula 1’s most successful driver. The 2026 regulatory change is equivalent to a blank slate, an opportunity for Ferrari to build a title-winning car from scratch. For Hamilton, it is the best and ultimate chance to win the world championship for the eighth time and to go down in history with the most illustrious team in the sport.
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However, the online arguments also indicate that the legacy comes at a price. His previous remarkable accomplishments are such that they have created an environment where it is very difficult to reach the standard and consequently, every current shortcoming is even more pronounced. The argument has shifted from being solely about race results and points to also including stories, pride, and the inevitable winding down of a magnificent career. 2026 could mean either arrival of a champion or bitter struggle; however, in both cases the world will be observant and, as the birthday argument showed, everyone will have a strong viewpoint. The future of Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari is filled with great expectations, and watching their path to 2026 will be very intensive. His Almave brand recently shared a New Year message. He also continues to engage with the F1 community, having recently hosted a drivers’ dinner similar to the annual end-of-season gathering. Amidst his Ferrari preparations, Hamilton has also been shifting focus to Hollywood filmmaking.
