Riccardo Patrese believes Ferrari must make Lewis Hamilton its number one driver if the Scuderia wants to maximise its chances in the 2026 Formula 1 championship. The six-time Grand Prix winner has criticised Ferrari’s hesitation over team orders at Zandvoort and argued that Lewis Hamilton is currently delivering greater consistency than Charles Leclerc.
The comments arrive as attention turns towards the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, one of the most eagerly anticipated weekends of the season for Ferrari and the Tifosi. Riccardo Patrese, who competed in Formula 1 between 1977 and 1993 and won six races, knows well the emotion surrounding the Italian Grand Prix.
Ferrari, Michael Schumacher and the return to Monza
This year’s race will also see Ferrari look back at an important part of its history. The Maranello team has prepared a special 2026 Italian Grand Prix livery inspired by Michael Schumacher, while Rubens Barrichello and Sebastian Vettel are set to complete demonstration laps in the F2002 before the start.
Despite the celebrations and nostalgia surrounding Monza, Ferrari must also remain firmly focused on its current campaign. Speaking in an interview with sports betting website Vision4Sport, Riccardo Patrese acknowledged the Scuderia’s positive form this season but was highly critical of the strategic handling of the recent Dutch Grand Prix.
Riccardo Patrese criticises Ferrari’s Zandvoort team orders
“Ferrari are doing very well this year, but at Zandvoort they lost at least a podium because they were slow to make decisions over team orders. It was a very poor performance from Ferrari. Lewis was right behind Leclerc, but he had to wait two laps before Leclerc let him through. He lost perhaps two or three seconds, and that made all the difference between reaching the podium and winning.”
Riccardo Patrese added: “The car is still not at the same level as Mercedes. McLaren is probably slightly better than Ferrari. But you know, if you want to beat Mercedes, you cannot afford mistakes like that and you have to take every opportunity that comes your way.”
The Dutch Grand Prix had already prompted Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur to call for a review of the mistakes that cost the team a podium opportunity at Zandvoort. For Riccardo Patrese, however, the problem goes beyond individual strategic errors and concerns the lack of a clearly defined hierarchy between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
“They have to decide immediately who the number one driver is. They cannot say halfway through a race, ‘We’ll think about it for a while and then let you know.’ That is how you lose races, points and opportunities. You have to make an immediate decision over who should let whom through.”
Why Riccardo Patrese wants Lewis Hamilton as Ferrari number one
When asked which driver Ferrari should prioritise, Riccardo Patrese had no doubts. The former Formula 1 driver also drew on his own experience to explain why he believes Lewis Hamilton should receive priority if the Scuderia has an opportunity to fight for the championship.
“Yes, I understand. I can understand Hamilton’s frustration and why he made those comments. Usually, it is the drivers who have been around the longest who are not afraid to express their opinion. In my day, everyone complained, shouted and argued. In today’s Formula 1, everything is a little flat. So when Lewis says what he said, things become interesting.”
Riccardo Patrese continued: “I agree with him when he says Ferrari have to be like Mercedes. If there is a chance Ferrari can compete for the championship, they have to choose the driver. They cannot do what McLaren did last year, when their Papaya rules left the door open for both Lando and Oscar and they refused team orders.”
The debate over whether Ferrari should establish a hierarchy between its two drivers is not new. Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley has also argued that Ferrari should prioritise Lewis Hamilton when the championship situation requires it.
Riccardo Patrese recalls sacrificing his own chances for Nelson Piquet
Riccardo Patrese used the 1983 season as an example of how a Formula 1 team can benefit from making a decisive choice between its drivers.
“In 1983, my team, Brabham, had to choose between me and Nelson Piquet, who had to fight for the championship against Alain Prost at Renault. So I was sacrificed to give Piquet maximum support, and we managed to win the championship.”
For the Italian, Ferrari’s handling of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Zandvoort showed that the team has yet to reach the same level of clarity.
“What happened at Zandvoort shows that Ferrari still do not have clear ideas. If you want to compete for the drivers’ championship, you have to choose one of the two, and Lewis has to be number one. He is doing a fantastic job, and he is more consistent than Charles at the moment.”
