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Former F1 driver Martin Donnelly claims that Ferrari's signing of Lewis Hamilton could bring the team £1,000,000,000 in terms of profit. He believes this would happen through merchandising, which he believes to be crucial for teams.
Hamilton is set to be dressed in the red of Ferrari after the remaining three races of the current season. The team signed him prior to the start of the current season as he used the exit clause in his 1+1 Mercedes contract. While Ferrari will gain a strong driver with immense experience, former driver Martin Donnelly feels that they would also experience a major profit.
"It’s a great move for Ferrari," Donnelly said. "You bring in over a billion pounds in merchandising for the company. Few people realise how much money they make from merchandise. It’s also good for the sport."
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The 39-year-old has raced with Mercedes since the 2013 season and won six of his seven World Championships with the team. While he continued to dominate the grid, the German team's performance took a hit in 2022 with the new aerodynamic regulations. After his victory at Jeddah in 2021, it wasn't until the 2024 British GP that he won his next race.
This drop in performance and Mercedes giving him a 1+1 contract despite his dedication towards them have been analyzed to be a few reasons for his move to Ferrari.
F1 insider claims Lewis Hamilton could have the "greatest comeback" with Ferrari team principal
Lewis Hamilton previously worked with Ferrari's team principal Frederic Vassuer during his early racing days in Formula 3 and GP2. The Briton was a promising future driver at the time, dominating his competitors.
Discussing Hamilton's form while competing in those junior series, F1 insider Will Buxton mentioned that Vasseur could help the veteran get back to his best again. This, he believes, would mark the "greatest comeback" in Formula 1's history.
"I also think linking up with Fred Vasseur is a brilliant way to go full circle because Fred was his team boss in F3 and GP2. And I believe fervently created the most potent version of Lewis Hamilton that has ever existed. The rawness of that kid in F3 and GP2, we've never seen that untap in F1," he said.
"Now he is Sir Lewis Hamilton, the greatest of all time. [..] If he [Fred Vasseur] can help Lewis untap that version of himself again, it's going to be the greatest comeback that sports has ever seen. It's going to be huge," he added.
Lewis Hamilton will partner with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, replacing Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard, meanwhile, will move to Williams Racing. He will later be testing with the team in Abu Dhabi.
