Hamilton To Be 'Catalyst For Good Things To Happen' At Ferrari According To Former Engineer

Tuesday, 01 October 2024 at 22:00

Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley discussed Lewis Hamilton's potential positive effect on the F1 team from Maranello once he joins in 2025.

After 12 years of driving for Mercedes, Hamilton decided at the start of 2024 that he wanted to fulfill his childhood dream and join Scuderia Ferrari.

The seven-time World Champion will join the Italian F1 team after the end of 2024, replacing Carlos Sainz, who will head to Williams Racing.

Although Ferrari has always been one of the best teams on the grid, they have not won a championship since 2008, and Lewis Hamilton is going to try to help them break this negative streak.

How big of an impact can the 39-year-old F1 driver have on the team from Maranello? Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley shared his opinion on the Formula for Success podcast:

"I've got a load of confidence for when Lewis gets there, I think he is going to be a catalyst for good things to happen."

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"I think that the team will embrace him. I think that if you go there with a bit of a reputation like what Lewis has got for being able to deliver, the team will get around him. The team will definitely get around him."

Smedley emphasized that the seven-time World Champion also has to do his role, and Hamilton has indeed been preparing for his arrival at Ferrari, having started learning the Italian language already.

"Then Lewis has got to do his part as well. Lewis has definitely got to play his part in endearing himself and embracing the culture of the team, and not like being on the periphery of that. And if he can do that, they will love him. Honestly, he will walk on water."

Smedley also pointed out that Hamilton's leaving his long-term team and everything he had there to join Ferrari has to mean something to everyone on the Italian team. He believes everyone within the team will raise their game by at least 1% now.

"I think the team will now feel they'll just be able to raise their game by another one or two per cent because they'll feel that confidence, right? And if everybody works that 1% harder or smarter, then you know, great things can happen."