Former F1 driver Martin Donnelly believes Lewis Hamilton heading to Ferrari could bring as much as £1billion to the Scuderia in merchandising.

The former Arrows and Lotus driver warned, however, that having Charles Leclerc on the other side of the garage will be no easy task for the seven-time World Champion to navigate next season.

Leclerc challenge ‘not going to be that easy’ for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

Hamilton set the F1 2025 driver market into motion in dramatic fashion in February when it was announced he would be a Ferrari driver from next season, ending his 12-season association with Mercedes in the process.

In having the sport’s most statistically successful driver at its most storied team, Donnelly predicts Ferrari could make a huge sum of money from the move, alongside the move of a driver of Hamilton’s stature being “good for the sport” as a whole.

“It’s a great move for Ferrari,” Donnelly told RacingNews365.

“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.”

With Leclerc having long been established at Ferrari, moving up through the junior ranks before earning a seat at the Scuderia in only his second season in Formula 1, the Monégasque driver was rewarded with the longest contract ever handed to a Ferrari driver when he signed a five-year extension back in 2019, owing to his performances alongside Sebastian Vettel at the time.

He has since signed another deal for the “next several seasons to come”, and given Leclerc was signed to stay at the Scuderia over Carlos Sainz – with both drivers initially having had their contracts expire in the same year – it was a show of faith from Ferrari in his abilities.

Given his form this season, too, Leclerc sitting third in the Drivers’ standings with three wins to his name this year and nine further podiums, Donnelly predicts Hamilton will be facing a tough challenge when he faces his new team-mate next year.

“I don’t think he will walk into Leclerc’s backyard and just nick his football,” Donnelly said.

“It’s not going to be that easy. But it’s good for the sport, it’s good for the tifosi, who have someone else to cheer for.

“Also for Lewis, especially after the three years with porpoising. At Interlagos, they were still suffering from that problem.

“I don’t think Leclerc will be easy to beat. He is fast, I would say on his day he is as fast as Lewis.

“Hopefully for them we will see them at the front in terms of points in the Constructors’ Championship, along with Red Bull.”