Ex-F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya thinks that “nobody can beat” Lewis Hamilton if Ferrari give him a “fast car” in 2025, dism⛎issing suggestions that he’s lost any of his inh🍰erent raw speed.

Last season was difficult for Hamilton as he bowed out of Merc♍edes after 12 years.

However, the smile is back on Hamilton’s face after a b♛usy first week at Maranello.

Hamilton me🤪t all his new mechanics and engineers in Italy before taking to the track for the first time in the 2023 Ferrari.

The seven-time world🃏 champion is expected to be in action again later this week in Barcelona as Ferrari prepare for pre-season testing in Bahrain.

While Ferrari are expected to be near the front once again, there are sꦗtill question marks over Hamilton’s level of performance.

He only managed to out-qualify teammate George Russell five times last year, and often struggled with his one-lap p💧ace.

“What happened to Lewis Hamilton i൩s what happened to Fernando Alonso,” he said.

“They still have 100 per cent of their speed, but they will still somehow qualify just in the top 10. If the car is capable of winning, then they would be muchಞ hi🌳gher.

“If Hamilton has a fast car this season, we’ll see the ꦿold Hamilton from a few years ago, the Hamilton that nobody can beat, not even Max Verstappen. But the question for Ferrari is how will they keep him motivated?”

One eye on F1’s 2026 rules

One crucial factor in 2025 will be teams balancing th💖eir efforts this year versus next year.

2026 will see entirely new power un༒it and chassis rules introduced.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has described the rule changes as the bꩲiggest in the sport’s history.

As a result, some teams may abandꦰon their hopes in 2025 to entirely focus on next year.

Ferrari and McLaren will likely go all-out in 2025, given how strong they wer꧑e last season.

Aston Martin and Mercedes might have a better chance of becoming a title contender in ꦇ2026.

Montoya added: “Ferrari are puttꦐing all their eggs in the basket so they can compete this season, Mercedes don’t have to risk much, McLaren have a huge opportunity to keep dominating before the 2026 regulation changes, where they could 𒊎become average.”