Each in 2024 have been the actual stars of the motive force market of their respective disciplines, and each are simply weeks away from the beginning of the long-awaited racing season. Lewis Hamilton introduced his transfer to Scuderia Ferrari in February 2024, adopted by Marc Marquez, who formally secured the official Ducati experience for the upcoming season in June. Two tremendous champions, essentially the most profitable lively riders of their championships, who’ve determined to hitch the “Pink Italians” on two and 4 wheels, with the clear aim of chasing one other world title that, for each, would have the flavour of a consecration that solely Ferrari and Ducati can provide them.
Lewis Hamilton has nothing left to show to anybody, but when he have been to win an eighth System 1 title with the Maranello staff, he would add essentially the most valuable stone to a crown that will, for a lot of, crown him as the best of all time. By tying his story to the Ferrari legend, the Englishman would nearly immortalize his star in System 1. Marc Marquez, too, has nothing left to show to anybody. He has already proven within the 2024 MotoGP championship that he’s nonetheless able to profitable races on the Ducati of the Gresini staff, brushing apart the criticisms of those that thought he might not win after his critical crash at Jerez in 2020. The Spaniard remains to be hungry for world titles, regardless of already having six within the premier class. The seventh title, which the official Ducati staff might simply give him, would tie him with a sure Valentino Rossi on the high (who gained six in MotoGP and one within the 500cc class), after which who is aware of.
Nonetheless, past statistics and report books, the 2 champions will face conditions which are very comparable in some methods however completely different in others. Let’s analyze them collectively.
Inner Political Assist
Each Marc Marquez and Lewis Hamilton have been strongly needed by the possession of their future groups, and due to this, it’s clear that, not less than of their first season, they are going to take pleasure in a particular standing inside the staff. The British driver has come out of a two-year contract with Mercedes, and to make room for him, Ferrari rolled out the purple carpet, even sacrificing a strong and quick driver like Carlos Sainz. Marc Marquez satisfied Ducati to present him the official bike after a season that was definitely constructive and stuffed with victories, however not with out errors. However, as is well-known, Ducati determined to go away out the then seemingly (on the time of the choice) and later confirmed world champion Jorge Martin. Two selections that, in a way, are humanly uncomfortable, particularly Ducati’s, however definitely supported by the possession, which sees within the Lewis Hamilton-Ferrari and Marc Marquez-Ducati pairings monumental business potential, past the outcomes that each will definitely carry. Each will certainly make good use of this political help in the direction of their teammates within the 2025 motorsport season.
Cautious Teammates
Lewis Hamilton and Marc Marquez arrive at their new groups, welcomed with all of the honors and fanfare anticipated, with Ferrari and Ducati completely decided to place their jewels in the very best place to carry out. Alongside them, respectively, Charles Leclerc and Pecco Bagnaia can not assist however be considerably involved. We’re clearly speaking about completely different aggressive conditions as a result of Pecco Bagnaia has already gained two world titles, whereas the Monegasque driver has solely collected runner-up spots within the driver standings thus far. Nonetheless, each have held the function of “lead driver” of their groups for a number of seasons and have been tied to their groups with multi-year contracts. As all of us count on, it gained’t be a simple coexistence for both of them.
Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez already had a on-track contact in 2024, and the Spaniard is definitely not the sort to make chivalrous gestures if he is aware of he has a profitable bike. However, the Italian is aware of he misplaced the 2024 bike championship as a result of his personal errors, in fact, but in addition as a result of he was “too gentlemanly” in the direction of Jorge Martin in sure racing conditions. A mixture of attitudes that’s harmful for the ambitions of the Italian champion. Between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, there have by no means been any main on-track tensions, which is kind of apparent, particularly contemplating Hamilton’s usually exemplary equity. Nonetheless, the Monegasque has usually been liable to getting down when he sees his teammate being quicker. The radio controversies “in opposition to” the newly praised Carlos Sainz in some races this yr are simply the newest instance. Lewis Hamilton can be a a lot more durable goal for Charles Leclerc, who might want to put apart his ghosts and focus solely on himself.
Psychological Energy and Consistency in Efficiency
The expectations for Lewis Hamilton and Marc Marquez for the upcoming season, nevertheless, are very completely different. Whereas the Spaniard can legitimately intention to race for the world championship with the Ducati GP25 with nice possibilities, this gained’t essentially be the case for the British driver, though all of us hope so, provided that Ferrari is ranging from second place within the 2024 System 1 standings and can enter the struggle with McLaren and others from a place objectively higher than 12 months in the past. Profitable the F1 driver or constructor title won’t be straightforward, and to take action would require distinctive consistency, given the shut gaps already proven this season by all of the groups. Lewis Hamilton’s consistency was objectively missing within the 2024 championship, not all the time as a result of Mercedes’ faults, as proven by George Russell’s performances. It’s arduous to say if it was as a result of lack of motivation, lack of velocity, or as a result of Mercedes understandably excluded him from sure developments or just from the extra delicate technical briefings. Lewis Hamilton nonetheless alternated extraordinarily excessive peaks, just like the victory at Silverstone and the performances at Spa, Las Vegas, and Abu Dhabi, with moments of deep disaster when the staff struggled to persuade him to remain on monitor and struggle. In qualifying, the Brit usually struggled with George Russell’s velocity, and a driver like Charles Leclerc, who has qualifying tempo as one among his sharpest instruments, dangers being a really anxious place to begin for the newest Lewis Hamilton, who will want an injection of “character and consistency” to resist all of the stress that can fall on him as quickly as he steps into the Ferrari cockpit.
Very completely different is the character state of affairs for Marc Marquez, who has usually gained the confrontation with all his potential rivals, each on monitor, contemplating what his GP23 allowed, and off-track, recalling his rise to the official Ducati staff in 2025. The Spanish rider confirmed this season that the darkish years at Honda and the bodily issues after the Jerez crash haven’t affected his velocity or willpower within the slightest. Deep down, he is aware of he can win the 2025 world title, however he’ll must be cautious to not fall into these crashes he justified this yr with the “I had nothing to lose” strategy. Marc Marquez’s worst enemy may be his thoughts, within the burning obsession to win all the time, even when he ought to enable some “strategic pondering” to keep away from heavy zero factors within the standings. The MotoGP title will even be gained with consistency. Simply ask Pecco Bagnaia for current expertise.
Totally different Expertise with the Group and Gear
From the perspective of getting aware of the staff and the machine, Lewis Hamilton and Marc Marquez are ranging from very completely different positions. The Spaniard has already examined the GP25 on the end-of-season assessments, and though he raced for a “buyer staff,” he has nonetheless gotten used to Ducati as a corporation in addition to a motorcycle. Due to this fact, he’s undoubtedly higher acclimatized than Lewis Hamilton, who was unable to drive the Ferrari within the post-Abu Dhabi assessments as a result of contractual causes with Mercedes. Aside from just a few laps he’ll seemingly do in February with the previous F1-75, he’ll solely have a day and a half of pre-season testing to get aware of the brand new automobile and his new staff. After all, we’re speaking a couple of seven-time System 1 world champion with huge expertise in a very powerful motorsport sequence, the place simulator work is definitely very precious for accumulating expertise and information. However System 1 has just lately proven that with simulators and CFD, you’ll be able to by no means totally perceive every thing, and to shave off that tenth in qualifying, a complete symbiosis with the automobile is required, which solely comes from the miles pushed on monitor.
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