Lewis Hamilton snubbed as....

Lewis Hamilton snubbed as….read

Carlos Sainz has shared his predictions for the 2025 Formula 1 season, naming four drivers he believes will be in contention for the Drivers’ Championship. However, his list notably excludes seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who begins a new chapter with Ferrari after leaving Mercedes.

Sainz, who moved to Williams after Hamilton took his Ferrari seat, expects Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, McLaren’s Lando Norris, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and Mercedes’ George Russell to be the main contenders for the 2025 title. This suggests that he does not see Hamilton as a primary threat in the upcoming championship fight.

Verstappen has dominated Formula 1 in recent years, winning four consecutive titles since 2021 and ending Hamilton’s reign. With Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes all expected to be strong competitors, 2025 could feature one of the most intense championship battles in recent history. While Hamilton aims to secure his record-breaking eighth title, Sainz does not expect him to be among the frontrunners.

When asked by SoyMotor to name his 2025 title favorite, Sainz initially hesitated before settling on three names: Verstappen, Norris, and Leclerc. He later included Russell, citing the young Briton’s strong performances for Mercedes. “If Mercedes make a good car, I would put Russell in too,” Sainz stated. “I think he is at a very good level. Any of those can beat each other this year.”

Despite leaving Hamilton out of his title predictions, Sainz believes that Ferrari’s chances of winning have improved with the British driver’s arrival. Ferrari finished as McLaren’s closest competitor in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship, with Leclerc securing third place in the Drivers’ standings, though he still finished 81 points behind Verstappen.

Asked whether Hamilton could bring a title back to Ferrari—who last won the Constructors’ Championship in 2008—Sainz admitted uncertainty. “Honestly, I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve never been team-mates with Lewis, so I don’t know what he’s capable of doing. I’ve never seen his data.”

Sainz acknowledged Hamilton’s impressive career but emphasized that evaluating a driver’s true performance is best done as a team-mate. “The only way you can more or less evaluate a driver is when you’re their team-mate and you see what they’re capable of doing,” he explained. “When I judge by results and his background, I can only say there is a very high chance that he is going to be competitive at Ferrari.”

However, he also highlighted that success in Formula 1 depends on several variables, including adapting to a new car and team dynamics. “It will all depend on how well you can adapt to a car, how well you can adapt to a team, and in which moment your team-mate is in,” he added.

Reflecting on his own experience with Ferrari, Sainz expressed confidence in the team’s potential. “When I left Ferrari, I did feel the team – both Ferrari and Charles – were ready to fight for a World Championship,” he said. “And with Lewis joining, that chance only got increased.”