Lewis Hamilton’s previous adversary has criticized Ferrari as being disorganized but asserts that the Formula One star’s first season with the Italian team has not been as disastrous as it may seem. Since commencing his tenure with Ferrari earlier this year, Hamilton’s aspirations of racing in Ferrari’s iconic red have faced significant challenges.
During his challenging first ten months with Ferrari, the 40-year-old driver has displayed signs of increasing disillusionment. Hamilton, in an uncharacteristic move, admitted feeling “useless” on the track, had disagreements with his race engineer, and failed to secure a podium finish in any Grand Prix race, thereby setting an unfortunate record as the longest-serving Ferrari driver without a podium finish.
The recent Mexican Grand Prix exemplified the ups and downs of Hamilton’s tumultuous year. Despite a third-place qualifying finish, a collision with Max Verstappen forced Hamilton off track, resulting in a 10-second penalty and an eighth-place race finish.
Presently ranking sixth in the drivers’ championship, 64 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s struggles have been put into perspective by former F1 driver Esteban Gutierrez. Gutierrez, who competed against Hamilton while driving for Sauber and Haas, and had experience with Ferrari as a test and reserve driver, believes that Hamilton’s performance with Ferrari this season is not as dire as it appears.
Gutierrez, now associated with Mercedes, pointed out the nuances of racing for an Italian team like Ferrari compared to an English team like Mercedes, describing Ferrari as a blend of passionate chaos. He emphasized that winning with Ferrari presents a unique challenge, making it tougher than triumphing with other teams. From Gutierrez’s viewpoint, Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari this year should be seen as a learning experience, with expectations of improvement next season.
Looking ahead to upcoming regulation changes that could benefit Hamilton, Gutierrez remains optimistic about Hamilton’s future prospects despite their past on-track encounters. In 2016, Gutierrez criticized Hamilton for an incident during the Hungarian Grand Prix, highlighting the importance of setting a positive example as a world champion.
As Formula 1 fans anticipate the evolving dynamics of the sport, Gutierrez’s insights shed light on the intricacies of Hamilton’s journey with Ferrari and the resilience required to succeed in the competitive world of Formula 1.