Smedley: “Hamilton’s Ferrari journey could become a Schumacher-style story”
According to the former Ferrari engineer, the British driver could write an exciting new chapter in the history of the Scuderia.
The emotions of Spain
The first person to urge caution after the Spanish Grand Prix was Lewis Hamilton himself, but the seven-time Formula 1 world champion’s victory with Ferrari still generated enormous excitement throughout the paddock and among the tifosi.
After a difficult start to his adventure with the Maranello-based team, Sir Lewis Hamilton finally broke what had begun to feel like a curse in red. The celebrations on the podium highlighted just how long this moment had been awaited, not only by the British driver but also by the members of the Ferrari team who have worked tirelessly alongside him.
Hamilton’s commitment
One person who noticed the significance of the moment was Rob Smedley, who worked at Ferrari from 2004 to 2014 and served as Felipe Massa’s race engineer. Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast, the Briton explained that he has never lost contact with the Maranello team and still takes part in group chats with former colleagues, many of whom have been impressed by Lewis Hamilton’s dedication.
“He puts in an enormous amount of effort,” Smedley commented. “People always misunderstand Lewis because of the shield he has built around his public image, but he is a guy who, like everyone else — Max Verstappen, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and all those great champions — works harder and commits more than anyone else to reach the level he has achieved.
“When you dedicate yourself completely to something, especially trying to win a Grand Prix, when you give absolutely everything and keep failing but continue trying again and again, then when it finally happens, it becomes an explosion of emotions.”
Another winning chapter?
Smedley joined Ferrari in 2004, the same year Michael Schumacher secured the seventh and final Formula 1 world title of his legendary career. Drawing on that experience, he went a step further by revealing not only what his former colleagues think of Lewis Hamilton, but also how the seven-time world champion could potentially create a Schumacher-like story in modern-day Ferrari.
“They absolutely love him,” Smedley added. “We have spoken about how this could become a story similar to Michael’s. If Lewis can truly get on top of the car, help turn the team around, start winning races and lead them towards world championships, they will undoubtedly adore him.”
For many within Ferrari, the Spanish Grand Prix victory may represent more than just a race win. It could be the first step in a much larger project, one that aims to restore the Scuderia to the top of Formula 1 and potentially establish Lewis Hamilton as another iconic figure in Ferrari’s rich history.
