Max Verstappen takes a sly jab at Ferrari's team radios as Lewis Hamilton prepares to join Maranello team
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Scuderia Ferrari came agonizingly close to securing their first Formula 1 world championship since 2008 this season but narrowly missed out to McLaren, with just 14 points separating the two teams in the final standings.
This marks Ferrari's closest brush with championship glory since 2010, the year the current points system was introduced. While McLaren edged them out in race victories (six to Ferrari's five), the Scuderia claimed the most podium finishes on the grid with 22. Team principal Fred Vasseur refrained from pinpointing the exact reasons for the title loss, but a mid-season slump appears to have been the primary culprit. Between Charles Leclerc's win and Carlos Sainz's third-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix and the start of the Belgian GP, Ferrari amassed only 70 points.
This period saw the team averaging a modest 14 points per weekend, even with an Austrian Sprint weekend included. During this stretch, they managed just one podium finish, and Leclerc failed to score points in three separate races. A rushed upgrade for the Spanish Grand Prix compounded their problems, as it introduced fresh bouncing issues and set them back relative to their rivals.
Looking ahead, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in 2025 following Carlos Sainz's departure. The Scuderia will bank on Hamilton's championship-winning pedigree to finally end their 16-year title drought.
Meanwhile, Red Bull's Max Verstappen has taken a subtle dig at Ferrari's team radio communications. Speaking to Viaplay, Verstappen reflected on his occasionally heated exchanges with race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. Despite their clashes—most notably during a turbulent Hungarian GP where the Dutchman finished fifth and voiced frustrations over his car, strategy, and competitors—the duo has maintained a strong working relationship, contributing to four consecutive championships. After tensions peaked, team principal Christian Horner intervened, arranging clear-the-air talks ahead of the Belgian GP to ensure harmony.
Max Verstappen praised Lambiase's "honest" approach to communication. By contrast, the Maranello team’s race engineers have developed a reputation for their hesitant "we are checking" responses, which have been criticized for failing to provide decisive guidance to their drivers.
"GP and I were always honest to each other, and sometimes that clashes. But I'd prefer that over someone who keeps saying 'copy' on the radio or 'we are checking'. I can't do anything with that at all." – the four time Formula 1 world champion pointed out.
Michael Schumacher's Brother Warns Lewis Hamilton About Key Ferrari Challenge
Max Verstappen's recent comments underscore the uphill battle Lewis Hamilton will face when he joins Ferrari next year. While Ferrari's car performance has edged closer to being championship-worthy, their operational shortcomings remain a significant hurdle.
Charles Leclerc's frustration with Ferrari's race engineer Bryan Bozzi has been a recurring theme this season. At the Qatar Grand Prix earlier this month, Leclerc openly criticized what he called a "nightmare" scenario, lamenting his lack of awareness about the race situation. Such incidents highlight Ferrari's ongoing struggle to execute strategies with precision and clarity.
Ferrari's history of dominance at the dawn of the 21st century, when Michael Schumacher claimed five consecutive titles, seems a distant memory. Since then, Kimi Räikkönen remains the only driver to have delivered a championship to Maranello, in 2007.
Ralf Schumacher, Michael's brother, has weighed in on Hamilton's upcoming challenge, stating that the seven-time champion "can't" replicate the car development expertise that his brother brought to Ferrari. Schumacher's ability to transform Ferrari into a powerhouse was legendary, but Ralf suggests Hamilton's strengths lie elsewhere. Fortunately for the British driver, Ferrari's car development is already on solid footing.
What the Scuderia needs from the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, however, is an uncompromising winning mentality. His role will be to bring a ruthless edge to the Maranello team’s operational approach, ensuring that the team's promising performance package translates into consistent race-winning results. With Hamilton's wealth of experience and determination, the stage is set for a fascinating new chapter in Ferrari's quest to reclaim championship glory.
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