Ferrari and the Lewis Hamilton effect: "He'll be a catalyst, great things will happen"

10/01/2024 08:57 AM

Thanks to the “Lewis Hamilton effect,” great things are expected to happen for Scuderia Ferrari in Formula 1. The Briton will join the Maranello team at the beginning of 2025, with a multi-year contract that will take him through the FIA regulation changes. He will bring with him the experience of a seven-time World Champion, and according to a former member of Ferrari, this alone will be enough to restore motivation and hope.

The deal of the year is about to become a sweet reality for Ferrari fans. After the surprising announcement earlier this season, Lewis Hamilton is about to end his journey with Mercedes to join the Prancing Horse. A career move as colossal as it was unimaginable, although this union has been a long-standing dream for both parties.

Within circles close to the team, a long and tedious debate quickly arose: will the signing of #44 really bring something good to Ferrari, or is it just marketing? An endless chapter that will only be resolved with the first real test on track at next season’s Melbourne Grand Prix. In the meantime, however, a former Ferrari member has described Hamilton as a “catalyst.”

Rob Smedley confident: “Hamilton at Ferrari will walk on water”
Former long-time race engineer for Felipe Massa at Scuderia Ferrari, with extensive Formula 1 experience, Rob Smedley did not hold back in his enthusiastic comments about Lewis Hamilton’s move to the Scuderia: “I'm very confident; I believe he'll be a catalyst that will make great things happen,” he explained on the Formula For Success podcast. “I think the team will warmly welcome him.”

“Of course, Lewis also needs to do his part by embracing the team’s culture and not staying on the sidelines. If he manages that, he'll be loved. Frankly, he'll walk on water. The team will feel like they can increase their efforts by one or two percentage points because they'll feel that confidence.” – the former Ferrari race engineer explained.

“He's a seven-time world champion joining your team, who has chosen your team over the one where he's spent, let’s say, his entire career, considering the engine supply, and he's suddenly walking away from all of that to choose you. That gives you a huge injection of confidence. And if everyone works that extra percentage point or a bit smarter, then great things will happen.” – Rob Smedley concluded.

Source: f1ingenerale

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