Ferrari's F1 nightmare - Charles Leclerc quits, Lewis Hamilton retires and Carlos Sainz thrives

Ferrari will boast one of the most enviable driver line-ups in F1 history when Lewis Hamilton arrives to partner Charles Leclerc - but even the best-laid plans sometimes go wrong

Ferrari's fortunes have been on the rise in the second half of the F1 season. With four podium finishes in the last five races, Charles Leclerc still has a slim chance of overtaking Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship.

The team also has a realistic shot at the constructors' title. Next year looks promising with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton set to replace Carlos Sainz.

However, past hopes for the Prancing Horse have not always materialised as expected. A super team of Hamilton and Leclerc seems unbeatable on paper, but blending big personalities can be unpredictable. Sister title Mirror Sport examines what potential challenges could arise.

Hamilton retires

Despite his fighting spirit, it remains uncertain how much he has left. His taxing seasons with Mercedes ended when Verstappen and Red Bull halted their domination, reports the Mirror.

His move to Ferrari appears to be a much-needed reset and provides a new opportunity to surpass Michael Schumacher's record of titles. However, time is running out - Hamilton will be 40 when he joins Ferrari.

Details about his contract are largely confidential, described only as a multi-year deal. It likely includes an exit clause if he chooses.

In a candid chat with Esquire earlier this year, Lewis Hamilton shared his thoughts on the future: "There are days I'm like, 'shoot, I don't know how much longer I can go'. There are days I'm like, 'shoot, I'd love a break' because you don't get a real big break in the season like other sports. You're not really getting a huge amount of downtime."

He continued, "But I do have mentally a plan of where I would like to extend to. I've just got to strategise and sequence things. Is there a time when I'm not all in, and I'm just not in love with it anymore? " Adding, "That's the moment that hopefully never happens, in the sense that I've fallen out of love with it. But I will know when I need to stop. I want to make sure I really max it out while I can and fully enjoy this sport I've done my whole life."

Leclerc calls it quits

Leclerc has grown accustomed to being Ferrari's leading man and primary driver. The dynamic within the team is bound to be intriguing with Hamilton's entry.

Given Leclerc's patience with Ferrari despite numerous errors in strategy and execution, it remains to be seen how he will adapt to having a more seasoned driver as a teammate, especially if Ferrari's performance doesn't carry forward into 2025 and beyond.

Leclerc has often appeared frustrated this season, notably after tyre issues hindered their qualifying at the Singapore Grand Prix. Post-Dutch GP in August, he expressed concern about Ferrari's performance: "I keep repeating myself since quite a few months, but we've got a lot of work to do," he conceded.

"We're aware as a team that we have a lot of work to do, we're working flat out to try and close that gap [to the front of the field]."

He added, "We'll have upgrades soon on the car, which I hope will help us close that gap, but when I see the gap on a track like this, I'm not sure it will be enough to at least be in the fight for the win. Small steps after small steps, I hope it can bring us back to winning consistently, but again, there's a lot of work."

Sainz shines at Williams

Ferrari may regret letting him go if Sainz excels at an ambitious Williams, especially if their gamble on Hamilton doesn't pay off.

F1 legend Damon Hill sees potential in Sainz and Alex Albon under James Vowles' leadership, aiming to return Williams to their former glory.

He remarked: "The dynamic, how it would work with Alex. That is also really important, putting two people together who work together in a team like Williams at the stage they are now, you need those guys to work together."

"I think they are a perfect combination. I can see these two, they're both pretty grown-up individuals and competitive and hard workers. I think they'll complement each other brilliantly."

Newey transforms Aston

Newey's move to Aston Martin is certainly turning heads. The noted engineer didn't fancy relocating to Italy, and his salary demands were apparently high—whatever excuse Ferrari have for not securing his signature seems moot if he ends up reinventing Aston Martin.

Opportunities of this magnitude come rarely and should be seized. But it appears Ferrari let pride stand in the way, marking the fourth time they've unsuccessfully attempted to recruit Newey.

If history repeats itself, in a few years, they might just rue missing out on Newey as another reason for their sustained lack of success.