Why Ferrari would be wise to bring in Hamilton now
F1 News
Lewis Hamilton is making the switch to Ferrari. That seems as good as certain. Why are Ferrari choosing the seven-time world champion and not taking a huge risk elsewhere?
Why it is wise: Ferrari want the best possible driver
An F1 team stands or falls with a few crucial positions: the team boss, technical director and star driver. For each position, you want consistency but also simply the best option. For example, a star driver is needed to steer the technical director in the right direction, and the team boss also wants to be sure his team win once they have the best car.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Ferrari ended up with Hamilton. At the moment, Max Verstappen is the best driver in F1, but he is tied to Red Bull Racing and would be crazy to leave now. Behind that, there's a search for a successor. Ferrari hoped that Charles Leclerc could take up that challenge, but the Monegasque still made too many mistakes.
If you then start looking at the best possible driver for Ferrari, it is still Hamilton. The Briton, in the Mercedes, finished third in the drivers' world championship again. Hamilton was also the one who could still fight it out with Verstappen in 2021 until the last race. Hamilton is still 'best of the rest' and, therefore, the best available option for Ferrari.
Why it isn't wise: Hamilton is past his peak
Yet this is not the ideal time for Ferrari to bring in Hamilton. The Briton has been among the top drivers in F1 for years, but at 39, he is certainly no longer the youngest. At that age, it is logical that performance declines somewhat, particularly consistency. This was also visible in the duel with Verstappen in 2021, where the Dutchman performed more consistently over a full year.
What kind of contract Hamilton signs is unclear, but Ferrari are bringing in a driver who is on his way out. So, for a long-term project, probably not the best option.
Why it is wise: Ferrari needs a figurehead
Ferrari find it challenging to recruit personnel. Most F1 knowledge is in England, and not every British engineer, mechanic, or technical director is eager to move to Italy with his family. Under the leadership of Jean Todt and Ross Brawn, Ferrari were very successful.
With Frederic Vasseur, they have the team boss. Now Ferrari seem to be bringing in the big driver as well. The fact that Hamilton is showing confidence in this project could be just that extra push for some top people who are hesitating about a switch. Many F1 employees dream of being able to work with Hamilton. A 'yes' is more likely to follow if Ferrari knocks on the door now.
Why it isn't wise: A duel with Leclerc is not ideal
If you look at the history of Formula 1, the greatest results were achieved by teams with a clear first and second driver. Of course, there are exceptions, but those exceptions are often teams that had such a large margin that it did not matter if the two teammates clashed several times.
That danger lurks again now. Although Lewis Hamilton will come in as the big man, Charles Leclerc is still a very fast driver with a lot of potential. As a pupil of Ferrari, Leclerc will not let himself be pushed aside easily. This internal struggle could help the team, but it could also destroy it.
Why it is wise: Ferrari lack a leader
Still, Ferrari have missed a leader behind the wheel in recent years. Sainz led by example but cannot display a leader's on-track performance. Hamilton can. Hamilton can use his experience to steer the team in the right direction. Something Leclerc has so far not been able to do.