Why the Lewis Hamilton 'brand' means so much for Ferrari

Wilson explained the commercial reasoning behind Ferrari's signing of 40-year-old Hamilton he emphasised that sporting success would be the primary driver of financial growth; he said: "Part of the reason Ferrari signed Lewis Hamilton was due to the brand alignment, however, sporting performance will always yield better benefits than just profile.

"So what you have with Hamilton and Ferrari are two iconic brands. There will always be a benefit to putting those two brands together. You amplify the benefit of those, that brand association if the sporting performance is better.

"So if he starts the season and is competitive in the first five or ten races and wins a couple, you're talking about an explosive marketing opportunity and everybody wins in Formula 1 with that.

"It would amplify the brand as well as it amplifies Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton. It's certainly double digits, you're in the tens of millions. If he's able to be really successful and let's assume he was to deliver a Drivers' Championship-winning performance this year for Ferrari," Wilson mused.

"You will then move into triple-digit growth on some of their revenue lines, simply because of the brands that he'll be able to amplify with them," added Wilson.

Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen are the highest-paid drivers in F1, with their combined salaries surpassing the earnings of all the other 18 drivers on the grid in 2025.

Hamilton's announcement in February 2024 to join Ferrari for the 2025 F1 season had a significant impact on Ferrari's stock performance.

Following the news, Ferrari's share price surged over 10%, reaching a record high of $384 on the New York Stock Exchange. This increase elevated the company's market capitalization by approximately $7-Billion, from $62.4-Billion to $69.12-Billion.

As of February 5, 2025, Ferrari's stock is trading at $463.93, reflecting a substantial appreciation since the announcement. The stock reached an all-time high closing price of $496.79 on August 30, 2024.

This upward trajectory underscores the positive market sentiment surrounding Hamilton's association with Ferrari and the company's robust financial performance.