“Hamilton will cause internal problems” when paired with Leclerc – former Ferrari engineer warns team. Former Ferrari figure suggests Hamilton could create some friction within the pairing with Leclerc.

As the final GP of the 2024 Formula 1 season approaches, anticipation grows for Lewis Hamilton to take the wheel of the Prancing Horse. However, this will only happen in the new year, when his contract with Mercedes ends, and Lewis Hamilton can officially become a Ferrari driver. While there is much celebration regarding the value he brings to the Maranello team, criticism has also emerged. One such critique comes from a former Ferrari figure, who has suggested that Hamilton could create some friction within the pairing with Leclerc.

The announcement, made on February 1, 2024, shook the motorsport world, sparking an endless chain reaction. Many insiders expressed excitement over the move, while others predicted significant challenges. Among the skeptics is Ernest Knoors, who spent many years in Maranello working on the Power Unit department. The Dutchman believes Lewis Hamilton could do more harm than good to a team that is finding its footing under Frederic Vasseur‘s leadership.

“A big name like Hamilton brings with it a lot of politics, and if politics within Ferrari aren’t managed well, there’s great potential for drama,” he told *Formule1.nl*. “Hamilton tends, when things aren’t working, to upend the entire car and start experimenting.”

“Ferrari believes a lot in big personalities and will back him. But Hamilton is someone you need to guide a bit and not give free rein to rebuild the whole car, because then everything could go wrong. So I’m not sure if it’s such a smart move, but it’s certainly good for the sport.” – he pointed out – “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a public relations move. With all due respect, Hamilton won’t take Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will extract the maximum, but what Ferrari needs to do is make the car faster. If the car is faster, the current line-up can easily compete at the front.” – Ernest Knoors added.

“Additionally, as a team, you have to look beyond, to the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a talented team for the next five years, do you rely on Hamilton? No, because in two or three years, he will truly be at the end of his career. That’s why I would have kept the very strong line-up Ferrari already has.” – the former Ferrari engineer concluded.