“Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton are less distant than one might imagine.” These are the comments of Aldo Costa, former Technical Director in Formula 1 with Minardi, Ferrari, and Mercedes, during an extensive conversation with Leo Turrini.
The engineer from Parma, now with Dallara, has had the fortune of working with both Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, each accumulating seven World Drivers’ Championships.
“Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton have many things in common,” Aldo Costa said. “But there are also significant differences between them. Nevertheless, it’s wonderful that the two most successful drivers in the history of F1 have chosen to link their names to Ferrari.”
Pressed by the journalist on who could be the better of the two, the engineer wanted to clarify: “I want to say right away that Michael and Lewis are less distant than one might imagine. Both have always had a very analytical approach to things on the track. They are meticulous, very professional. They know that at certain levels, details shift the balance, determine the result.”
Aldo Costa on Michael Schumacher:
“Michael was very human in the working relationship. He would sit there with the engineers and calmly convey his feelings about the car he was driving. He was never obsessive, that’s for sure.”
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Aldo Costa on Lewis Hamilton:
“I got to know Lewis better because, at Mercedes, I had a role that put me in more direct contact with the driver. He and I were in symbiosis. Hamilton, like Schumi, asks for trust and trusts you.”
Differences between Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton:
“They belong to non-overlapping cultures. Michael Schumacher was the last driver of an era in which cars were developed on the track through continuous testing on the asphalt. And in this, he was formidable, I would say unique.” – he pointed out – “Lewis, on the other hand, belongs to the era of the simulator. He has no connection to that; the rules have changed. In short, Michael was always behind the wheel, Hamilton almost never because he can’t. It’s no coincidence that Schumi, when he returned to racing in 2010 without on-track tests, struggled; he hated the simulator.”
Finally, when asked by Leo Turrini, “But why did Lewis decide to bet on a Ferrari that has been losing for almost twenty years?” Costa responded, “Well, he is instinctive. He followed his heart. It’s not a turn dictated by the God of money.”
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