Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari hailed as “better than Netflix” by arch F1 rival

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes Lewis Hamilton’s sensational move to Ferrari from Mercedes will have a bigger impact on the sport than Netflix F1 documentary ‘Drive to Survive’.

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for the 2025 F1 season was announced earlier this month, and it’s widely regarded as the biggest driver transfer in the sport’s history.

The move will see Hamilton race outside of the Mercedes family for the first time in his F1 career.

Hamilton was Red Bull’s main rival for the title in 2021, going head-to-head with Max Verstappen, culminating in a dramatic finale. 

In recent seasons, Hamilton and Mercedes haven’t been a threat to Red Bull amid their dominant run since the start of the ground effect era.

Weighing in on Hamilton's switch to Ferrari from next year, Marko believes the move will only ‘weaken’ Mercedes.

"That took me completely by surprise, especially the timing," Marko told the Austrian publication oe24. “Although it is a sporting sensation.

"You wonder how it could have happened. Mercedes was overtaken by Ferrari in the second half of the 2023 season and McLaren was also faster. Perhaps Hamilton has realized something that the outside world does not yet know.

"It doesn't change anything for us, but I do see it as a weakening for Mercedes. And whether it makes Ferrari stronger remains to be seen. Overall, it has an incredible effect, right down to the share prices. It's great that something is happening.”

Netflix F1 documentary ‘Drive to Survive’ has been credited as been one of the big reasons the sport has grown so much in the last five years.

Marko reckons that Hamilton’s move to Ferrari will benefit the sport to a greater degree.

"Normally in such a situation you already think more about the new team," Marko added.

"The current team [Mercedes] can no longer involve him in major innovations to the car, because of course he would take it with him [to Ferrari]. For the sport it's great, better than Netflix."