Briatore: Hamilton will struggle to stay ahead of Leclerc in 2025

Briatore managed Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso during their F1 title-winning campaigns and retains a keen interest in the sport that once banned him for the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix aka Crashgate aka F1's hornets' nest that Felipe Massa is kicking open.

But that's a tale for another time. The focus is on Briatore's recent comments to Speedweek regarding the Lewis to Ferrari blockbuster news: “If Hamilton were to be in a Ferrari today, he would show the same performance as Leclerc, who I think is a very fast driver and underestimated. Hamilton will struggle to stay ahead of Leclerc in 2025.

"When drivers like Hamilton sit in cars that are not competitive enough, then they don't contribute enough," predicted Briatore, perhaps referencing the downfall of Mercedes in recent years and the impact it has had on the motivation of the 39-year-old Briton.

The record-breaking Grand Prix winner has been stuck on 103 victories for the past two years. Hard to take for a driver used to winning in every season he competed in, until 2022 that is. And 2024 could be another winless season if the first two races are anything to go by.

Ferrari supplying Hamilton with a race-winning car next year depends on whether Ferrari can beat the benchmark-setting Red Bull. This year their RB20 is setting the pace and leading the way on all fronts, as two 1-2s for Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in the opening rounds of the 2024 F1 season testify. All nine other teams are chasing.

Beating Red Bull this year or even in 2025 will be a tough ask according to Briatore: “Red Bull Racing has become even more competitive, even more superior than a year ago, the lead over its opponents is huge. Verstappen had eight-tenths of a second on his rivals in the race."

Stats show that Verstappen led teammate Perez across the Bahrain finish line by 22 seconds, a week later in Saudi it was eight seconds when the flag waved and five seconds added on for the Mexican's penalty for a pitlane incident.

Briatore continued to hail Verstappen: "He never makes mistakes. The combination of Max in the Red Bull car is terrifying. Just like Senna in the McLaren, Schumi in the Ferrari or Alonso in the Renault.

"I trust Ferrari to remain the second force, but they have to make a lot of progress with their racing car because no driver in the world can otherwise make up for this deficit," ventured the 73-year-old Italian.

In contrast, Hamilton's P7 in Bahrain and P9 in Saudi Arabia is the worst start to a season for him in his 18-year career in F1. Whether he remains interested in Mercedes, driving an uncompetitive car for the rest of this season, will be telling.