Ex-F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya thinks that “no one can beat” Lewis Hamilton if Ferrari give him a “quick automobile” in 2025, dismissing ideas that he’s misplaced any of his inherent uncooked pace.
Final season was tough for Hamilton as he bowed out of Mercedes after 12 years.
Nevertheless, the smile is again on Hamilton’s face after a busy first week at Maranello.
Hamilton met all his new mechanics and engineers in Italy earlier than taking to the monitor for the primary time within the 2023 Ferrari.
The seven-time world champion is anticipated to be in motion once more later this week in Barcelona as Ferrari put together for pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Whereas Ferrari are anticipated to be close to the entrance as soon as once more, there are nonetheless query marks over Hamilton’s degree of efficiency.
He solely managed to out-qualify teammate George Russell 5 instances final yr, and infrequently struggled together with his one-lap tempo.
Chatting with Crash.web through CasinoApps, Montoya feels that the “previous Hamilton” might return if given the fitting equipment.
“What occurred to Lewis Hamilton is what occurred to Fernando Alonso,” he mentioned.
“They nonetheless have 100 per cent of their pace, however they are going to nonetheless by some means qualify simply within the prime 10. If the automobile is able to successful, then they’d be a lot larger.
“If Hamilton has a quick automobile this season, we’ll see the previous Hamilton from just a few years in the past, the Hamilton that no one can beat, not even Max Verstappen. However the query for Ferrari is how will they hold him motivated?”
One eye on F1’s 2026 guidelines
One essential think about 2025 will probably be groups balancing their efforts this yr versus subsequent yr.
2026 will see solely new energy unit and chassis guidelines launched.
Pink Bull boss Christian Horner has described the rule adjustments as the largest within the sport’s historical past.
In consequence, some groups might abandon their hopes in 2025 to completely give attention to subsequent yr.
Ferrari and McLaren will probably go all-out in 2025, given how sturdy they had been final season.
Aston Martin and Mercedes might need a greater likelihood of changing into a title contender in 2026.
Montoya added: “Ferrari are placing all their eggs within the basket to allow them to compete this season, Mercedes don’t should danger a lot, McLaren have an enormous alternative to maintain dominating earlier than the 2026 regulation adjustments, the place they might turn out to be common.”
