Glory and romance aside, there's much more behind his motivation than the mere hope of a fairy-tale career finish...
A dorning a million boyhood bedroom walls and a matching number of garages of older racing fans across the world, is a poster teasing a rear shot of Gilles Villeneuve at an impossible angle over a trackside curb, flanked by the words of Il Commendatore reads: 'What's behind you doesn't matter.'
It's stirring stuff that crystalises the heroism, enchantment and sheer iconography of wringing a steed crafted by motorsport's most revered team in its zenith echelon. Except that, owing to its legacy, driving for Ferrari inescapably invites conversations - and comparisons - with its glorious gallery of ghosts.
For Lewis Hamilton, whose 2025 arrival at the Scuderia was announced on 1 February, over time and in the wake of several previous overtures, that gravitational pull became irresistible.
The maverick move sets out to redress the final missing entries on the resumés of two of F1's greatest drivers. One, that of Hamilton's childhood hero, Ayrton Senna who dreamt of yet never raced in red which was denied by fate on 1 May 1994. And of Michael Schumacher - whose seven titles Hamilton has matched, though not yet exceeded - after his long-serving Mercedes team was derailed by a combination of misunderstanding 2022's new ground-effect aerodynamics, coupled with the consequences of the engine freeze and budget cap effectively prohibiting in-season correction of developmental missteps.
Only there's more to his thinking than lusting after a faster company car.
MERCEDES' MALEDICTION
Frustrations with perpetually recalcitrant cars from 2022 onwards, and with the zero prospect of redemption until F1's new ruleset enters play in 2026, provide the most obvious pointers to Hamilton turning his back on a team that powered him to 82 wins and six crowns since 2014.
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Toyota Fortuner
Considered by many as the quintessential adventure SUV, the Fortuner is about as strong a used buying proposition as you can get in this segment. We take you through the things to look out for and list two rivals for comparison.
MIND THE HURDLE
With a repaired car and a point to prove, Alex Shahini returned for Round 3 of the Toyota GR Cup at Zwartkops Raceway to achieve a career-best finish
KING OF KILLARNEY
For four decades, Denis Joubert was directly involved with the creation, development and ongoing success of Cape Town's international motorsport venue, Killarney. Having just celebrated his 90th birthday, we talk to the man whose contribution to South Africa's motor-racing heritage is priceless....
Selecting the 4WD SYSTEM for your needs
As 4WD SUVS and double cabs grow in popularity, more first-time buyers face the challenge of selecting a vehicle with a drivetrain that best meets their requirements. We explain the key differences between the all-wheel drivetrains available
Kia Picanto 1.0 LX MT
Kia's ever-popular budget hatch has recently received a range of exterior and interior updates - we test the entry-level variant to see if it remains a force to be reckoned with in this highly competitive segment
Super C
The fastest and most technologically advanced flagship C-Class to date, AMG's C63 S has evolved into an electrified uber-sedan. Has this mighty model forsaken some character in pursuing this status? We strapped our test equipment to the new shooting star.
Bentley's Brutes
A break in proceedings during an exclusive preview of the fourth-generation Bentley Continental GT afforded us an opportunity to sample the stately yet hair-raising Bentayga S
RUNNING UP THAT HILL
Now in its 14th year, the Simola Hillclimb continues to combine adrenaline-fuelled competition with showcasing some of the most appealing classics out there in a heady mix that keeps local petrolheads coming...
BAND OF BROTHERS
Complete with rugged bakkie-based underpinnings that encourage off-the-beaten-track venturing, largely proven powertrains that afford maximum range and towing capability, and brand names with enviable respective reputations for reliability, adventure SUVs remain the favourite of thousands of South Africans.
TWELVE OF THE BEST
Ferrari keeps things suitably old-school with its V12-engined 12Cilindri GT