Ferrari has received a warning regarding their decision to sign Lewis Hamilton as Charles Leclerc’s teammate. Giancarlo Minardi, the former founder of an F1 team, believes that Ferrari’s choice to bring Hamilton on board for 2025 is a mistake. Hamilton’s announcement of his departure from Mercedes to join the Italian team has caused a stir in the Formula One community. Despite previously extending his contract with Mercedes, Ferrari revealed an agreement with Hamilton to switch teams in 2025. This move by Ferrari, who had previously shown interest in Hamilton, is seen as a significant statement of their intentions. However, not everyone agrees that replacing Carlos Sainz with Hamilton is the right move.
Minardi expresses skepticism about Ferrari’s decision, stating that while it may be a brilliant marketing move, it may not be the best choice for Formula 1. He acknowledges the commercial appeal of pairing a seven-time world champion like Hamilton with Ferrari, but from a motorsport perspective, he has reservations. Despite Hamilton’s age of 40 when he joins Ferrari, concerns about his ability to improve and perform at a high level persist. However, Minardi dismisses age as a decisive factor, pointing to Fernando Alonso’s continued competitiveness at an older age. He argues that Ferrari’s lack of recent titles cannot be solely attributed to their drivers and that success in F1 depends more on having a winning car.
Overall, Minardi believes that drivers are like the finishing touches on a house, rather than its foundation. He suggests that Ferrari’s focus should be on creating a winning car rather than solely relying on the abilities of their drivers.
According to the Source formula1news.co.uk