Ready for Lewis The 2025 Australian GP will mark the extremely anticipated debut of Lewis Hamilton driving a Ferrari in an official race. After a lifetime as a rival, the 40-year-old champion from Stevenage will goal to make motorsport historical past by changing into the primary driver ever to win eight profession titles. Since 1996, when Michael Schumacher joined Ferrari, Hamilton turns into the fourth driver to be employed by the Prancing Horse after securing world titles elsewhere.
After Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel additionally arrived at Maranello in subsequent years, however solely Schumacher hit the last word goal. Kimi Raikkonen’s case was totally different; he joined Ferrari in 2007 and received his sole championship with the Maranello workforce, solely to go away on the finish of 2009 earlier than returning for a second stint from 2014 to 2018. However how did the debut races of those that joined Ferrari as champions with the difficult activity of replicating their previous success fare?
Michael Schumacher – 1996 Australian GP, retired Sarcastically, the one driver to not even see the checkered flag of their Ferrari debut was the one who would thrill Ferrari followers for years. Schumacher arrived at Maranello as absolutely the reference level in Method 1, with two titles received at Benetton within the earlier two seasons. Nevertheless, his first weekend was underwhelming: in Melbourne, the German was surprisingly outqualified by one other Ferrari debutant, Eddie Irvine. Michael Schumacher began fourth, one spot behind his teammate—a place he would by no means occupy once more that season. His race ended early, retiring on lap 32 whereas operating third behind the untouchable Williams vehicles of Jacques Villeneuve and Damon Hill. Success, nevertheless, would come later in his debut season, with three victories on the wheel of the less-than-competitive F310.
Fernando Alonso – 2010 Bahrain GP, 1stAfter Michael Schumacher’s period of triumphs and the Kimi Raikkonen years, Ferrari as soon as once more guess on an already completed driver: Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard’s time at Maranello can be as epic because it was unfortunate, with two titles misplaced within the last race and a shared realization that he was by no means given a automobile worthy of his expertise. Nevertheless, his debut was extraordinary: Alonso received in Bahrain, main a Ferrari one-two with Felipe Massa in second. Qualifying third, simply behind Massa, the two-time champion benefited from reliability points with Sebastian Vettel’s Crimson Bull, which completed fourth after main for 33 of the race’s 49 laps. Alonso’s debut stays particular—he’s the final driver to win in his first Ferrari race.
Sebastian Vettel – 2015 Australian GP, 3rdThe final driver earlier than Hamilton to affix Ferrari with world titles in hand was Sebastian Vettel. The German got here off a dominant 2010–2013 streak but additionally a disastrous 2014 season—his first winless marketing campaign within the hybrid period. Like Alonso, Vettel wouldn’t clinch one other championship at Ferrari, however his debut was promising. He completed third within the 2015 Australian GP, behind the dominant Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. His first win, nevertheless, got here simply two weeks later in Malaysia, proving his clean adaptation to the workforce. Regardless of by no means profitable the title in Ferrari colours, Vettel stays the third most profitable driver in Ferrari historical past, with 14 wins and 55 podiums.
Jan 5, 2025
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