Hamilton's Ferrari Move: "It Was His Plan from the Start"

Stephen Lord wasn’t surprised by Hamilton’s Ferrari move, calling it a long-planned ambition rooted in the allure of the legendary team.

Stephen Lord, Mercedes F1 race team coordinator, was “not at all” surprised by Lewis Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari, believing it was his “plan from the start” of his career.

Lord, who worked with Hamilton during their McLaren days before joining Mercedes together in 2013, was personally requested by the seven-time world champion to take on some of the tasks left vacant when physio Angela Cullen departed in 2023.

Lord admitted he once thought a return to McLaren might have been possible, but Ferrari had long been in Hamilton’s mind.

When asked on the Beyond the Grid podcast if Hamilton’s move surprised him, Lord simply replied, “Not at all. Because I think it was his plan from the start.”

“A few years ago, it came up in a conversation between us. Actually, I always thought he might be tempted to return to McLaren, but I was completely wrong.”

“But yes, we had a conversation years ago, and he always said he believed most drivers have the desire, at least at some point in their career, to drive for Ferrari. So I wasn’t surprised at all.”

“I mean, we can see throughout the history of this sport that there’s a desire among great drivers to go to Ferrari and win world championships there. Fernando [Alonso] did it, Seb [Vettel] did it. I think that desire will always remain.”

“It’s the longest-standing and most recognizable team in the pit lane, and the history and esteem this brand carries make it inevitable that people want to go there.”