F1 | Ferrari – Hamilton: this is why we bet on the dream team

The news of the agreement between Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton went beyond the confines of motorsport. The attention and curiosity aroused by a marriage between two absolute excellences in the history of Formula 1 have landed in the so-called 'mainstream', an all-round celebration. February 1, 2024 will remain an important date, in Hamilton's life as well as in the history of the Scuderia, and it could not be otherwise considering the significance of this agreement.

Among the many evaluations triggered by the wedding of the decade there is one very evident: the charm of Ferrari is still intact. It is true that Maranello has not held the drivers' world title since 2007 (the constructors' title since 2008) just as it is undeniable that Formula 1 has turned the page, attracting a new generation of fans (and drivers) who have never seen the Scuderia in the role of dominatrix.

Hamilton's choice confirms, however, that driving for Ferrari still has a particular flavour, something that only the Cavallino transmits. Obviously Lewis' contract will be full of clauses, the salary (estimated at 40 million per season, plus many bonuses) is of absolute value, but they are bonuses that Hamilton could have also obtained in Mercedes.

What they were no longer able to guarantee to Lewis at Brackley is the competitiveness of the technical cycle, a bonus that today only Red Bull can offer. Net of this, Hamilton chose by evaluating teams that today present the same question marks, and in the end what made the difference was the desire to dress in red, to enter the car and see the Cavallino on the wheel, to be welcomed by the tide red on most of the world championship tracks, to be able to say at the end of my career 'yes, I drove for Ferrari'. A plus that still has an important value in 2024.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Erik Junius

There are those who have read Hamilton's arrival in Maranello as a downsizing of Leclerc's figure. Charles has just signed a 'long-term' renewal signed, however, when the Hamilton deal was already concluded.

The timing with which the agreements were communicated was misleading, designing a scenario in which Leclerc, after signing, would have received the news of Hamilton's arrival. In reality, Leclerc's extension was signed after the agreement of his new teammate, so Charles had the opportunity to evaluate the overall scenario in which he will find himself working starting from 2025.

Ferrari has chosen to play with two strikers, and it is not a surprising decision. Today the trend that has taken hold in team management is to have defined and well-structured roles. More reference figures appear in the technical staff, as well as among those who make strategic decisions: the 'one man show' approach will increasingly be a thing of the past. This policy is also having effects in driver management, the teams (when they can) try not to depend on just one of their drivers. This aspect allows you to maximize your energy for the constructors' classification, but not only that.

The teams do not want to run the risk of being put in check by their top drivers, and to avoid this problem they choose to have two drivers of equivalent potential. The tendency is not to centralize too much power in one figure, as is the current case of Verstappen in Red Bull.

What would happen if Max suddenly decided to move on? Today it is an impossible eventuality because the team provides the best single-seater in the paddock, but if the technical values ​​changed it would be a potentially very dangerous risk. Ferrari has covered itself on this front, as McLaren did (with Piastri and Norris) and as Mercedes did with the choice of George Russell, a providential backup today for Toto Wolff, who will be able to evaluate the post-Hamilton situation without panic.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23

Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images

The downside of this policy can be the coexistence of two pilots with the same ambitions. It is a risk that has existed since the dawn of motorsport and history teaches us that sparks fly when the stakes become high.

Whoever leads a team must hope to one day find themselves having to manage this problem, because it would mean having two riders competing for the world title. It is difficult to imagine Leclerc and Hamilton at loggerheads for third place, it is more likely that the two will team up to allow the team to grow. If the Scuderia then returns to compete in a world championship and, if the two drivers find themselves in a similar ranking position, then it will be time to make choices. But he will also mean that many of the problems that are on the agenda of the Scuderia's technicians will be a distant memory.

Finally, there is also another assessment regarding Leclerc. Charles could have found a more comfortable companion as his neighbor, as well as a young man driven by the desire to assert himself. Hamilton will take away visibility but also pressure from Leclerc and, above all, he will be a benchmark of absolute value for Charles.

Lewis could be a problem but also an opportunity to reaffirm his qualities, as happened to Nico Rosberg when the returning Michael Schumacher joined Mercedes. The stories of the great champions also pass through these scenarios, it was like this for Hamilton in his time at McLaren with Fernando Alonso and it was also like this for Leclerc himself in his first steps in Ferrari alongside Sebastian Vettel. For those who love a quiet life, Formula 1 is not the ideal place.