Canadian former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1996 to 2006, Jacques Villeneuve, has urged Lewis Hamilton not to reunite with his former trainer and physiotherapist, Angela Cullen, when he transitions to Ferrari in 2025. The 1997 World Champion suggested that the seven-time titleholder would benefit from “starting afresh” as he begins a new chapter with the iconic Italian team.
It’s common for drivers switching teams to bring key members of their personal teams along, but Hamilton will leave behind familiar faces like Peter Bonnington and Andrew Shovlin when he makes the move to Maranello this winter. Cullen, a pivotal figure in Lewis Hamilton’s career since 2016, departed Formula 1 in 2023, ending a successful partnership that helped the Brit secure four consecutive Drivers’ Championships during her tenure.
Lewis Hamilton has often expressed gratitude for the positive influence Cullen had on him during their seven-year collaboration. However, Jacques Villeneuve believes that forging a fresh path and adapting to the unique culture of Ferrari could be crucial for Lewis Hamilton’s success in his new environment.
“When you do a big move you start afresh like Lewis Hamilton is, it means you don’t go with your old engineer or physiotherapist like Angela Cullen,” Jacques Villeneuve explained in a recent ingerview for Grosvenor Sport. “He has won with McLaren, he’s won with Mercedes. So there’s no issue there. I have no idea how Angela and Lewis worked together. As far as I was concerned the driver always relied on his engineer, who was the person that was the closest to him on a race weekend. That was always the person that you, the driver, could lean on and that’s where you build trust. The physio is part of that small group of people that is in the driver’s confidence loop who they rely on.” – the former Formula 1 driver concluded.
Angela Cullen made the decision to part ways with Mercedes in early 2023, marking the end of her long-standing partnership with Lewis Hamilton—a development that reportedly left the seven-time world champion deeply saddened. Following her departure from Formula 1, she shifted her focus to the IndyCar series, where she joined forces with fellow New Zealander Marcus Armstrong. She played a key role in supporting Armstrong during his debut season with Chip Ganassi Racing, bringing her expertise to a new racing arena.
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