Ex-F1 engineer pinpoints Ferrari’s ‘win-win’ situation over Lewis Hamilton’s arrival
Lewis Hamilton's arrival at Maranello has been deemed by many to be beneficial for several people within the Ferrari squad.
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Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton (Via IMAGO)
With Lewis Hamilton slated to join Ferrari after the end of the 2024 season, experts questioned how will the intra-team dynamics play out as both Charles Leclerc and Hamilton would be keen on being given priority in the races. However, former F1 engineer Rob Smedly explained how the 39-year-old’s arrival at the Italian team would be beneficial for Ferrari while also developing the Monegasque into a more mature driver.
The current driver pairing of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc is considered to be one of the best on the grid. The scarlet duo has been consistent performers at the front of the field and provided stability ever since they became teammates in 2021. On the other hand, with Lewis Hamilton replacing Sainz, the pair would flirt with the existing stability in Maranello if they often trip over each other.
However, Smedly elaborated on how Hamilton is not brought into the team to cause clashes. He reasoned that the seven-time champion would bring in results owing to his vast skills and also give Leclerc a benchmark to grow as a driver and become a world champion one day.
But isn’t this a win-win situation for Ferrari as well? They’ve got this seven-time world champion coming in. Charles has got a bit of slack here, right? He’s up against a seven-time world champion. If Charles is not the one who gets away, then it’s just a win-win situation. You’ve got this seven-time world champion, a guy who can learn from him and eventually become the real deal himself.
Rob Smedley said on the Formula For Success podcast
Though this plan might seem executable from the outside, there are a lot more factors that go on in deciding whether such propositions would take place in an ideal manner. Thus, Ferrari might be playing with fire by getting two drivers with the same ambition of winning a world championship in the near future.
F1 experts are already eyeing out Lewis Hamilton’s successor at Ferrari
While Hamilton has not even made his debut for Ferrari, people have already started exploring the alternatives that could fill his void in Maranello once he decides to leave the team, Subsequently, FIA steward Johnny Herbert revealed the ideal candidate that could take up the Brit’s role at Ferrari.
Herbert reckoned that another Brit in the form of Oliver Bearman could be the one to take Hamilton’s seat.
That is exciting as it’s another Brit and, potentially down the line with the relationship he has got with Ferrari, who knows? He could be joining Ferrari at the end of Lewis’s time there – whenever that may be. So, there is a good replacement already there and Ferrari are very aware that he is someone they want to give a chance to when the opportunity arises.
Johnny Herbert said in an interview with Vision4Sport
Apart from this, Bearman is currently scheduled to make his debut with Haas next year. So the likelihood of the teenager soon jumping ships to Ferrari seems minimal unless he could impress the hierarchy in Maranello to fast-track his career in a similar way to Leclerc’s.
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Geetansh Pasricha
(772 Articles Published)