Lewis’s is a romantic choice. The charm of the “red” is still attractive
At the end of a day that shocked the world of F.1, and will be remembered for a long time, one question above all remains in mind: why did Hamilton decide to end his career in Maranello? Only he will be able to respond, telling something that goes beyond the perfunctory phrases of a press release. But if anyone thinks that the move is the result of calculation or reasoning, they are off the mark. Because in the end Lewis’s choice is – strange to say these days – romantic. Nowadays, Mercedes is worth Ferrari, no more, no less. But every driver, sooner or later, is fascinated by the “red car”, as Alain Prost said when he signed with Cavallino. In addition to the Frenchman, from the 1950s onwards it happened to Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and it would probably also have happened to Ayrton Senna without that cursed May 1, 1994 in Imola in which he lost his life. All world champions who had little or nothing to prove. There’s no escaping it: history is history, even if Maranello hasn’t seen a drivers’ title since 2007. And winning one with Ferrari – the eighth in his case – would make the Englishman an absolute legend. And it would represent, en passant, the Oscar-winning screenplay of a Hollywood film.
Here we end with the emotional part. And we move on to the rational analysis of a move that, apparently, has nothing logical about it. Starting from the timing chosen by Lewis. Hamilton, by renewing his contract last September, had sworn eternal love to Mercedes, the company with which he won six of his seven world titles. He was supposed to become its ambassador too, once he was done with racing. The new W15, which he will pilot in the 2024 World Championship, has not yet taken to the track and he has already decided to leave at the end of the season. Does he know that Mercedes won’t be competitive? And, at the same time, are you sure that Ferrari will grow a lot? Today, no one is certain about all this. Furthermore, moves like this have always been concluded early, but with the absolute silence of all parties until no more harm is done, usually in the summer when the championships already have an owner or almost. So instead 2024 starts with the Englishman already separated (by choice) from Brackley, Sainz rejected by Ferrari and Leclerc certainly not enthusiastic about seeing the most successful driver in the history of F.1 arrive in what he now considered his home. Placing Lewis alongside Charles is another of the controversial points of the matter. It won’t be an easy coexistence, although the two share a love of music, fashion and extreme sports and are also neighbors in Monte Carlo. Hamilton got along very well with drivers inferior to him, but when he had to “fight” with Alonso in McLaren and Nico Rosberg in Mercedes he certainly didn’t hold back. Like all great champions, his hunger for victories makes him extremely selfish. If Leclerc, who renewed his contract a few days ago by swearing eternal love to the redhead, thought he was the present as well as the future of the Cavallino, he miscalculated. It will be interesting to see how all the protagonists affected by the story will react, starting from the first pre-season tests. It’s not completely illogical, but it represents a big gamble, even wanting to invest 80 or 90 million a year on the two drivers when Ferrari’s problem, in the recent past, has been almost exclusively technical. With that money – one might object – you go to get a super technician. Yes but where? Newey isn’t moving from Red Bull, Allison has renewed his contract with Mercedes, there are no other geniuses around.
The focus is therefore on the shock and enormous motivation that a phenomenon like the seven-time world champion can give to those who already work in Maranello. Perhaps acting as a magnet for those who, stimulated by his presence, might arrive. But it is a very risky move, faced with a Red Bull like the one seen in 2023. Ferrari is certainly bringing in a man with immeasurable charisma, but must learn to respect his freedom and his positions on even burning issues. . While the interests away from racing could coincide, given that one of the reasons that pushed Hamilton towards Maranello would be a future commitment in the Cavallino lifestyle sector. A sensitive person – Lewis – but very demanding, who asks everyone to raise the level of their performance with his mere presence. A good thing, if everything goes as they hope at Ferrari. Too bad, if the Maranello structure does not prove to be up to the task. It will end in triumph or it will remain in ruins. But the game, that’s for sure, is worth the candle.