As a seven time Formula One world champion, Lewis Hamilton knowns how to manage his profile in the media. The bombshell he dropped revealing he was leaving for Ferrari next season next season was timed to cause maximum embarrassment for Mercedes.

Having failed to agree a deal which would see him end his career with the Brackley based team, Hamilton went back to Ferrari with whom he’d had discussions before resigning for Mercedes to let them know he was ready to accept their offer.

 

 

 

Hamilton worst start to an F1 season

The deal was reportedly brokered by company Chairman John Elkan, who has been a Hamilton fan for a number of years. However, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had indicated earlier he would prefer to retain his current line up of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc – almost indefinitely.

Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton created a record breaking F1 partnership with 82 wins and 6 drivers’ titles but are now experiencing their worst starts to a season after four events are complete. Lewis last won a race in December 2021 before the infamous showdown with Max Verstappen in the desert of Abu Dhabi.

However, the following year Mercedes failed to get to grips with the new ground effect car design rules and new boy George Russell appeared to be more at home with the car as he finished ahead of his experienced team mate in the final championship standings.

Hamilton rallied in 2023 as Russell appeared to lose his way making the podium just twice in P3 at the Spanish and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Yet George has risen again this year, out qualifying his team mate 3-1 and finishing each of the four Grand Prix ahead of Hamilton. This is reflected in the scores with Russell on 24 and Lewis on just 10 points.

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Hamilton success at Ferrari unlikely

The Chinese circuit in Shanghai has been a happy hunting ground for Mercedes with them chalking up a record total of six victories despite the team not having competed in the first six runnings of the race. Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver at this track, winning twice while at McLaren (2008-2011) and four times with Mercedes (2014,15,17,19).

Barring a disastrous outing for Ferrari and Red Bull, there is little hope of Lewis or Mercedes adding to their victories this weekend and ex-F1 driver Michael Bleekemolen now believes Hamilton is in a downward spiral as he and the team do their final trip around the world together.

“It’s all coming together just a little bit badly,” says Bleekemolen. “I think he’s had his best time, maybe he will end up in the top two, three again, that could just happen [at Ferrari].

“It’s not going to be easy, but it would be nice. I just don’t think it’s going to happen.”

When asked if Lewis Hamilton could yet win a record eight drivers’ world title at Ferrari, Bleekemolen was direct saying “No.”

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Ferrari decision questioned

Even though the Ferrari have got on top of the ground effect rules better than Mercedes, when Hamilton arrives in Maranello he will be up against one of the toughest team mates on the grid. Ferrari have made no bones of the fact the team has been built around Leclerc since he first signed with the Italians back in 2019.

Now in his sixth year with Ferrari and with a long term contract in his pocket, the Monegasque driver is sitting pretty as the future for the Scuderia. Even the Italian media have rounded on the Ferrari team describing the Hamilton move as “short sighted” with one journalist claiming this was all about commercial benefit – not racing inspired.

Hamilton will be 40 when he dons the red overalls next season and while Fernando Alonso proves age is no reflection on talent, the big question for Lewis is whether he can raise his game one more time and beat Charles Leclerc. There will be difficult decisions the team is forced to make and Bleekemolen wonders how this will all work out.

“Who will be number one, you often see in the course of a few races,” he adds. “At the moment Sainz is also sort of number one. It’s hard to estimate, but everyone fights for themselves in the end.

“It’s the same within a team, they really do understand, that when you start winning races or consistently finish on the podium, you always have an advantage over someone who only finishes fourth, fifth, sixth.”

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No number one status at Ferrari for Lewis

Historically Ferrari have had a number one and number two driver philosophy, through during the Sainz/Leclerc four years together the difficult racing decisions appear to be more focused on getting the best result for Ferrari. 

Unfortunately for the top brass in Maranello, this season it is Carlos Sainz who is more comfortable in their F1 challenger rather than Charles Leclerc. Yet with Sainz’s Melbourne victory and his other two podium finishes, Ferrari are comfortably second in the championship and for now just 21 points behind the world champions, Red Bull.

Compared to a year ago, the Italian squad are much improved as after the fourth round in 2023, Ferrari were 188 points behind Red Bull and lying just fourth in the constructors’ championship.

Ex-Aston Martin strategist and Sky pundit, Bernie Collins, believes Ferrari will be strong this weekend in Shanghai. “I think it will play to Ferrari’s strengths,” she told Sky Sports F1.

“There’s a chance that Ferrari will have closed the gap a little bit to Red Bull and maybe taken a little step away from McLaren.”

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Mercedes face the unknown in China

However, Collins outlines why it will be a difficult weekend for Mercedes, who are struggling to find good setups for their cars.

“Previous to Japan, Mercedes were really unhappy with the car and there was a lot of discussion that their simulation wasn’t working correctly,” she stated.

“So how they’re assimilating the car reacts to certain changes, to certain environments. That’s not great if you’re going into a new race or if you’re going into a race with a lot of unknowns.”

“If you are struggling to simulate a race that you’ve been to four times in the last four years, then it’s not great for one that you’ve not been to either, unless two wrongs somehow make a right and you ace the setup.”

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McLaren boss issues warning ahead of Chinese GP

The second most successful team in F1 history is enjoying a renaissance after years in the wilderness. McLaren once ruled the F1 world and its MP4/4 car from 1988 was revered as the most successful ever in the sport. Losing just one race in that season the McLaren-Honda raced by Senna and Prost now jointly holds that record along with last years RB20.

Of course the Red Bull did notch up a higher percentage of wins due to the fact the calendar in 2023 had 22 races not just 16 as in 1988. Yet 2023 did reveal McLaren getting on top of its problems and the results from race eight onwards saw the team score more points than Ferrari and Mercedes – and Lando Norris score more points than anyone other than Max Verstappen…. READ MORE