Ferrari's Decision To Take Hamilton Questioned By Former F1 Team Owner Minardi

Saturday, 10 February 2024 at 22:00

Former F1 team owner Giancarlo Minardi suggested he wouldn't have made the same decision as Ferrari did in relation to hiring Lewis Hamilton.

Ferrari has been celebrated by multiple experts for its move to secure Lewis Hamilton starting from the season 2025. The Italian team offered the 39-year-old a multi-year contract, so he will be with Ferrari at least until 2026.

Ferrari hopes to increase its chances of winning the title, but the move also makes a lot of sense commercially. Giancarlo Minardi told quotidiano.net:

"If we talk about marketing, it's a brilliant operation, so hats off to John Elkann. But if we talk about Formula One, then the situation changes..."

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The seven-time World Champion's move to Ferrari already increased the value of the Italian manufacturer by a few billion dollars right after the announcement.

"I am not naive, I understand the reasons that I will define as commercial of the great agreement between a seven-time champion of the world and the Lady in Red. It is a meeting between Myth and Legend. But..."

However, the former team owner asserted he wouldn't have made the same decision despite all the added value and the massive potential he brings to the team.

"I, speaking instead of motoring and that's it, wouldn't have taken someone like Hamilton."

Some other former F1 drivers discount Hamilton's ability to challenge Charles Leclerc in Ferrari because of his growing age. But when Minardi was asked whether his statement is related to the Briton's age, he said:

No, I swear that in my reasoning the registry office doesn't count. Alonso is even older than Lewis but he is still very strong. And Hamilton is still competitive too.

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Ferrari has not been able to win a Contructors' Championship ever since the season 2008. Ever since that year, multiple World Champions have sat behind the feel of the red car.

These include Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. However, neither of these Champions has been able to deliver the title for Prancing Horse.

"So we have to ask ourselves: in all these years has Ferrari lost because of the fault of those who drove it No, the Red has not been without titles for a generation due to the responsibility of those behind the wheel."

The Italian former F1 team owner is convinced Hamilton is no guarantee of success at Ferrari, and his words make sense. But he also added he would like to be proven wrong.

"It follows that Hamilton is no guarantee of success. Just as Vettel wasn't. In short, here, the cause is exchanged for the effect. Let's be clear, I'm not an owl! If Lewis wins the world championship with the Red, I will be the first to celebrate. I limit myself to expressing a skepticism which I hope is unfounded."