Lewis Hamilton & Ferrari Enter the 2025 Season as the Fastest-Growing Team on Social Media in Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton is known for his speed on the track – but he has helped new team Ferrari accelerate on social media as well.

Hamilton’s arrival has seen Ferrari surge from third place in the global F1 fanbase to become the fastest-growing Formula 1 team on social media.

The Prancing Horse team has gained over 5.5 million new followers (+18.7%), marking an unprecedented rise in digital popularity.

Despite Mercedes maintaining the highest total follower count (38.57m), Ferrari (35.12m) is now nearly level with Red Bull Racing (35.62m).

Ferrari’s engagement levels have also soared by 42%, enhancing its commercial appeal and unlocking new opportunities for sponsors and partners.

Hamilton’s immense personal following, 53.1m across social platforms, further amplifies Ferrari’s reach, particularly in expanding F1 markets such as the United States and Asia. This is exemplified in his first post for Ferrari, which became the most liked (5.7 million likes) Formula 1-related post in history.

Kenny Ager, Global Head of Commercial Development at sports marketing agency WePlay, commented: “Audience and attention are the ultimate currency in sports, fuelling value for broadcasters, sponsors, and marketers.

“Star athletes have the ability to supercharge audience growth for their teams. Ferrari’s signing of Hamilton is the perfect example of that. Tracking this impact is why we built Power Rankings, a proprietary tool analysing audience size, growth, and engagement across any sports brand or rights holder. With 10 billion+ data points, it delivers precise, head-to-head comparisons on a global scale.”

Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari is not just a statement of intent on the track but also a seismic shift in the business of Formula 1.

His multi-year contract, reportedly valued at approximately $446m, underscores Ferrari’s commitment to securing top-tier talent.

The UK in particular has witnessed significant F1 audience growth, adding 4.3 million new viewers since 2019, including 1.7 million women following the success of the Netflix documentary series Drive to Survive. With British drivers such as George Russell and Lando Norris already commanding strong UK support for rival teams Mercedes and McLaren, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari strengthens the team’s position in one of the sport’s most engaged markets.

Alongside Hamilton, Ferrari boasts another social media powerhouse in Charles Leclerc, currently the second most-followed F1 driver and this dynamic pairing ensures Ferrari’s dominance in digital engagement ahead of the 2025 season opener in Australia.

On the track, Hamilton brings seven world championships and a wealth of experience to Ferrari, a team that remains the most successful in F1 history but has not secured a Drivers’ Championship since 2007 or a Constructors’ Championship since 2008.

While instant success is never guaranteed, Hamilton’s arrival is expected to elevate Ferrari’s championship aspirations and provide an invaluable boost to Leclerc’s own title ambitions.

As the 2025 season kicks off, all eyes will be on Ferrari to see if their off-track momentum translates into championship-winning form on the grid.