Ex-Ferrari engineer’s advice for Lewis Hamilton: “They will absolutely adore him for it”

Former Ferrari F1 engineer Rob Smedley has tipped Lewis Hamilton to give the Italian team “those extra one or two percentage points” when he joins in 2025.

Hamilton will join Ferrari from next season after deciding to make a bombshell decision to leave Mercedes.

It will mark the end of Hamilton’s long term association with Mercedes, given that he’s only driven cars powered by the German brand since the start of his F1 career.

It looks highly unlikely Hamilton will end his F1 win drought with Mercedes given their poor form so far in 2024.

However, looking ahead to 2025, Smedley - who was Felipe Massa’s race engineer from 2006 to 2013 at Ferrari - feels like Hamilton will “thrive” next year.

“That’s what the passion of the tifosi… that’s how it manifests itself. I think Lewis is a driver that will absolutely thrive in that environment, he said on the Formula for Success podcast.

“Okay, Red Bull took their foot off the gas as they put their efforts into 2024 but if you looked at the gap, especially in qualifying again, in Bahrain, they’re right there.

“Whether or not Lewis in a Ferrari today could take it to Max in a Red Bull, that’s a different question. But he hasn’t won seven World Championships by being lucky.

“He’s done it because he is one of the all-time greats. I think somebody like Lewis can give Ferrari those extra one or two percentage points – that’s all they need.”

Smedley also had some advice for Hamilton ahead of his switch next year.

The British engineer suggested that Hamilton should “integrate himself” as much as possible and try and learn some Italian - something that will win over the Tifosi.

“He has a duty to himself and to his employer, to embed himself as much as he can, to integrate himself into the community,” he added.

“If he can learn to speak a little bit of Italian, they will absolutely adore him for it. But whatever he puts in – if he puts 100 per cent in, he’ll get 100 per cent back.”