Ferrari: why Lewis Hamilton's age is a great opportunity

The partnership between Lewis Hamilton and Scuderia Ferrari is about to begin. In a discipline where generational turnover is far greater than in the past, the most experienced drivers in the category are holding their ground. Last week marked an important milestone for Lewis Hamilton, who turned forty in the very year he will wear red for the first time in his outstanding motorsport career. The British driver and Fernando Alonso are redefining what, until recently, were considered physiological limits to competing at the highest levels in the premier class of motorsport, providing examples of self-discipline for the new generation.

This could be a factor inspired by these champions. For the British talent, this age milestone coincides with his new professional challenge, made difficult by several factors. Logistically, Lewis Hamilton has never raced for teams headquartered outside the United Kingdom. Being a very sharp individual, he immediately understood that his adaptation to a completely different environment requires his physical presence in Maranello and a grasp of the Italian language, even though English is effectively the institutional language of Formula 1.

For the seven-time F1 world champion, this represents a sort of new beginning. For this reason, it appears Ferrari has scheduled four days of testing using a Testing of Previous Car programme (although for now it is unclear whether it will be the F1-75 or the SF-23), during which Lewis Hamilton will undergo a sort of apprenticeship. These important days will see the former Mercedes driver work on the track with the engineers who will support him throughout his adventure with the historic Maranello team. This initial phase could have been anticipated in December, during post-season tests in Abu Dhabi after the last Grand Prix of the previous campaign, but it wasn’t possible due to the commercial constraints binding Lewis Hamilton to the German team.

At Ferrari, they are aware that the performance of the English driver depends on the human relationships he builds with his engineers. Think of extroverted or overly talkative drivers: the engineer must know how to listen to them. Conversely, if the driver has an introverted character, it is necessary to empathize to extract as much information as possible, always making them feel comfortable. This chemistry can be built through a process of mutual understanding and consistent joint effort.

In addition to the measures to be taken on the track, Lewis Hamilton will also have the opportunity to do significant work on the simulator, which will help him adapt to the technology available at Scuderia Ferrari compared to what he used at Mercedes last year. Through this virtual environment, the British driver will begin to understand whether the characteristics of the 677 project suit his driving style. Naturally, it will only be after the winter pre-season testing session at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir that the similarity between the hypothetical context and reality can be verified.

Ferrari: Hamilton is still capable of making a difference

In the upcoming Formula 1 season, the last before the revolution regarding the new set of regulations, Lewis Hamilton will face numerous challenges. The Ferrari suit can be very heavy to wear, but the British champion has broad shoulders and will certainly manage the pressure that comes with it. From a potential standpoint, the seven-time world champion is in the ideal position to set new age-related records. In modern Formula 1, only Nigel Mansell has managed to win a Grand Prix after the age of forty, thirty-one years ago, in the controversial Australian Grand Prix, made famous by the collision that eliminated Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill, the two rivals for the world title.

Not to mention the possible achievement of an eighth world title. A truly interesting topic that brings us back to the past glory of the top category, when the cars were very different from today’s. The only drivers over 40 to manage this feat were Juan Manuel Fangio, Giuseppe Farina, and Jack Brabham. In the case of the Anglo-Caribbean driver, we are talking about a physically intact driver, still capable of winning races, as demonstrated in the last campaign. Moreover, he is highly motivated to accomplish the most difficult feat of his extraordinary career: to become champion once again, but this time with the Maranello team.