“Still I rise” is a phrase that has been dear to Lewis Hamilton for years. It’s a mood, a lifestyle more than just words, that the seven-time Formula 1 world champion has applied to his life and career, never giving up despite the numerous difficulties he’s faced, especially in the recent seasons where he has been away from success for almost a thousand days, a success that has been a common theme in his history in the series. This unyielding spirit has led “The Hammer” to rise again, helping Mercedes to do the same and return to victory in the British Grand Prix. This mood has also pushed Mercedes to work hard and turn around a poor car at the beginning of 2022, the first year of the ground effect regulations, eventually making the W15 a winning car.
A car that at the Silverstone circuit was the best for almost the entire three-day event, securing pole position with George Russell and then winning with Lewis Hamilton, who, with his driving skills and aided by a perfect team in managing a very complex race, returned to the top step of the podium. A victory that demonstrates the Brackley team’s ability to react, return to the top, and that revitalizes the seven-time champion for the future, especially for 2025, the year in which he will wear red and, at almost forty years old, take on the challenge of Ferrari to try to enter the legend and win the eighth Formula 1 world title.
Ferrari, on the other hand, has been without a title since 2008 and is going through a rather complicated period, with failed developments, declining performances, and significant internal turnover, at least at the technical level. A situation that, with Lewis Hamilton’s arrival, will necessarily have to change and raise the bar of expectations. A union that will undoubtedly not go unnoticed in the F1 history books, and which Jean Todt, Ferrari’s team principal from 1993 to 2009 during the golden age with Michael Schumacher from 2000-2004, wanted to discuss in an interview with “Sport Bild.”
According to the French manager, Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in Maranello might not guarantee success. Jean Todt believes that the problem for Ferrari is not the drivers, as the best drivers dream of getting behind the wheel of the Red car, but rather the organization needed to take the final step forward to close the gap with direct competitors like Red Bull and McLaren. A step that Ferrari has often shown it hasn’t been able to take in recent years.
“With Hamilton’s arrival, Ferrari will be a 9, whereas my Ferrari in 1993 was a 5. The question is whether nine out of ten will be enough. Everything has to be perfect to win the championship. Recently, Ferrari has often been in the fight for titles without ever winning them because the last step is the most difficult. Currently, other teams, like Red Bull, have more chances to win. Ferrari will always have two great drivers because it’s everyone’s dream to drive for Ferrari, but even Michael Schumacher had to wait four years after joining us before winning his first title.” – the former Ferrari team boss concluded.
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