Ferrari will forever be Formula 1’s most esteemed team, but what they truly desire at their headquarters in Maranello is to consistently triumph in races and reclaim championship titles. They long for a return to the glory days of the early 2000s, when Michael Schumacher and the formidable team supporting him dominated the sport.
However, the statistics reveal that Ferrari has not secured an F1 title since Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen combined forces to win the Constructors’ title in 2008. Raikkonen’s individual Driver’s title came a year prior. For the past fifteen years, Ferrari has been unable to capture one of the two most significant accolades in motorsport.
This drought is not due to a lack of effort. After parting ways with Raikkonen, the Italian outfit enlisted the services of double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso to lead their charge. Despite coming agonizingly close, they fell short of their goal. Sebastian Vettel followed suit, but he could not replicate the success he enjoyed at Red Bull, failing to secure a coveted F1 title for Maranello.
However, all of this could change in 2025, as Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari for the final chapter of his illustrious career in the pinnacle of motorsport, as suggested by Jacques Villeneuve. “They attempted with Vettel, but he was already burnt out by the time he arrived at Ferrari. Alonso nearly succeeded, but the situation became too chaotic,” remarked Villeneuve. “Lewis could be the one to finally bury Ferrari’s past. This could be Ferrari version 2.0, with the greatest driver of all time joining the greatest team of all time. It doesn’t get much better than that, especially at a time when Ferrari is desperate for a return to winning ways.”
Villeneuve expressed that Ferrari is in need of a positive turn of events after years of coming close but falling short. Whether they bring in experienced world champions or young drivers like Leclerc or Sainz, the team always seems to be plagued by internal chaos. The team principal position changes every two years, causing further instability. Villeneuve, whose father was a Ferrari legend, lamented this situation.
Since 2014, Ferrari has had four different team principals: Marco Mattiacci (2014), Maurizio Arrivabene (2015-2018), Mattia Binotto (2019-2022), and Frédéric Vasseur from 2023 onwards. The late Sergio Marchionne’s misguided planning and naive thinking set the team back. He aimed to make Ferrari a truly “Made in Italy” team by hiring Italian engineering talent and letting go of foreigners. However, this strategy backfired.
Under John Elkann’s leadership, Ferrari is now looking to the Luca di Montezemolo era as a template. They are following the example of their successful period under Jean Todt’s leadership, which included hiring a Frenchman. The failed “Made in Italy” experiment has led them to reconsider and build an international team, seeking the best engineers and talent from around the world.
Villeneuve recalled the time when Ferrari tried to be exclusively Italian, getting rid of anything that wasn’t Italian. However, this approach did not work out. Now, they are once again hiring non-Italians and rebuilding an international team, aiming to acquire the best talent regardless of their nationality. There are even reports of Ferrari attempting to bring in Englishman Adrian Newey to be part of their Hamilton-inspired Super Team.
“With Ferrari, there is always excitement due to the constant flow of news. If Lewis were to join the team, it could potentially bring stability to the complex situation they currently face. This could provide Ferrari with the foundation they need to progress forward,” speculated Villeneuve.
Throughout their history, Ferrari has consistently hired experienced drivers, including F1 World Champions. This strategy proved successful with the addition of Michael Schumacher, who won two F1 titles prior to joining Ferrari and went on to secure five more championships during his time with the team. However, their attempts to replicate this success with drivers such as Alain Prost, Alonso, and Vettel were ultimately unsuccessful.
Looking ahead, Villeneuve is intrigued by Hamilton’s potential move to Ferrari. He wonders if Hamilton will be able to achieve what Alonso and Vettel could not. Villeneuve initially doubted Vettel’s ability to succeed at Ferrari, but believed Alonso had a chance due to his close proximity to victory and his tenacity. Now, he sees Hamilton as a potential candidate to accomplish this feat.
Furthermore, Villeneuve is curious about the role Jock Clear will play in the team. He ponders whether Clear will become Hamilton’s engineer, as this combination could prove highly beneficial and increase the likelihood of success for Hamilton at Ferrari. Villeneuve himself experienced success with Clear as his engineer when he won the 1997 F1 title with Williams.