Replacing Sainz with Hamilton is Ferrari ’boost’ - boss

With Carlos Sainz already sitting in a Williams, Ferrari expects that the arrival of Lewis Hamilton in 2025 will give the Italian team a "good boost".

Recently, the Spanish bank Santander departed Ferrari as a sponsor and the logos have now re-emerged on the 2024 Williams in the Abu Dhabi garage - where a white-helmeted and suited Sainz is making his team debut this week.

Sainz, 30, is departing Ferrari on top form - in total contrast to seven time world champion Hamilton’s less impressive end to his long Mercedes tenure.

Nico Rosberg, who was Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes some years ago, says the jury is out as to how the 39-year-old will fare in red overalls.

"Everything depends on his form," Rosberg told Sky Italia.

"If it’s the same as this year, then it won’t be easy for him. If he finds his usual magic, it will be a spectacle."

Hamilton’s biggest deficit this year has been his qualifying pace, as he was substantially outclassed by teammate George Russell. "Hamilton had better prepare properly," said former F1 driver Christijan Albers.

"Because if there is a real monster of qualifying in Formula 1 these days, it is Charles Leclerc. I even think that if you put Leclerc and Max Verstappen together, Max would have problems."

At least publicly, however, Ferrari is "not worried" - as uttered by team boss Frederic Vasseur at the Abu Dhabi season finale last weekend.

The Frenchman also told reporters: "The arrival of Lewis gives us a good boost.

"He will certainly see some things differently than we do," added Vasseur. "Lewis has 18 years of experience and so many successes that his perspective is important for our development.

"He will help us continue the successful path that we are on. We have had a good season and made a solid step forward, because we have scored 50 percent more points than last season. But the goal is to win titles."

With a similar message, after Ferrari lost out on the constructors’ championship to McLaren, is the Maranello based marque’s executive chairman, John Elkann.

He declared this week: "Let’s use this season as a starting point for a year in 2025 in which we will be even more competitive."