P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Is Lewis Hamilton still fast enough to fight for F1 titles? Ferrari as it is right now is the wrong place for Hamilton to find that out
If Lewis Hamilton had the opportunity to join Ferrari with a team comprising of Adrian Newey, Andrea Stella, and Christian Horner, he might have been able to replicate the success of Michael Schumacher at the team in Formula 1. The key would have been a hands-off approach from corporate management. This fantasy scenario is perhaps the only way Ferrari could achieve long-term success similar to the Schumacher era. Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel struggled at Ferrari without the necessary support to enact changes.
Hamilton faced similar challenges at Ferrari, along with concerns about his personal performance and the presence of a talented driver in Charles Leclerc. Ferrari historically thrives with dominant lead drivers like Schumacher and Lauda. The team’s success relies on strong characters who can inspire and demand results quickly. Without this leadership, Ferrari has not sustained success with employee drivers. John Surtees, another charismatic driver, understood the changes needed at Ferrari, but faced obstacles due to his strong personality.
Hamilton, Alonso, and Vettel attempted to bring change to Ferrari, but lacked the support and empowerment that Schumacher had. Their criticisms were met with resistance, and Hamilton’s performance issues further undermined his efforts. Leclerc’s emergence only accentuated these shortcomings and highlighted the need for a dominant leader at Ferrari to unlock its full potential.
