The Hamilton at FERRARI Era

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

This one poor, expensive decision set the program back years. Instead of investing into the future with a young prospect Elkann put all his eggs in the aging Lewis, hype basket. Barring a miracle in 2026 we are screwed for the next few years now.

How anyone didn’t see this coming is beyond me.

 

It's a tale of two guy inflating their egos. One has millions to spend on publicity, and the other is an over-the-hill driver padding his resume.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I think ive seen midfieldamilton being thrown around

 

With this years car would have been a smarter move to employ Lance Stroll. The current Ferrari management seem happy just to turn up, there seems little desire to be competitive. The development direction is backwards at the moment,so much for the new front suspension and aero map giving more opportunities.

 

First Year Sainz joined Ferrari
4th race in:
-Leclerc 40pts
-Sainz 20pts
Cumulative total = 60pts (no double DSQ)

 

Initially I was highly critical of Vasseur as TP for Ferrari, he did very little to elevate Renault or Alfa up the rankings but a brief period of success & getting rid of over rated engineers it seemed he was on the right course and I was about to eat humble pie...however his latest interview and joking attitude at the recent TP's interview was farcical and for me doesnt take his role seriously. Out of his depth in a politically hostile team like Ferrari. Incompetence given the resources they have at hand.

Saudi GP Qual. 2024 v 25
RB are 0.178sec faster than last year (pole again)
Merc are 0.909sec faster
McLaren are 0.651sec faster
SF 0.120 sec faster.
Williams 0.90 secs faster.

So glad to see Sainz in the Williams pushing their butts up the road.

The introduction of Loic Serra has proved a failure, please dont tell me he his not responsible for the current downgrades, a few little tweaks and winglets added here and there isnt going to get 0.8sec/lap just to catch up.

Whilst I am not a LH fan, you cannot blame the guy for pushing a car beyond its limits and into the wall, even CL had a massive wheelspin exiting the corner and left tyre marks on the race track. Great for tyre performance / degradation in a tyre dominated racing series

 

My theory from the start was that Hamilton was only at Ferrari to push merch. Given the right car he’s still a solid performer but the bean counters probably came up with a spread sheet somewhere along the line that said signing him will increase the Ferrari fan base by xyz, increas the amount of women interested in our brand, from which we will then sell xyz more caps, tshirts and Puma kit. Even if he doesn’t win them a championship they have still financially hedged their bets.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Alonso taking the 2012 turd to within 3 points of the title

Lewis can't come even remotely close to his teammate.

15 years of gaslighting reality checks coming in.

 

Elkann is a celebrity chaser. I think he has no notion of, or interest in, Ferrari legacy or history. Racing is just a diversion like any other sport, something to be exploited. He has willing helpers in FIA and Liberty who seem to have the same mind set. You’re right, of course, Hamilton’s compensation is a waste of resources. Soon, the target market bling-and-swag buyers will see him as just an old man, and forget about him. They’ll be replaced by the next generation of temporary enthusiasts.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DIqWdDAtXFy/?igsh=MWViaHhzMGNzMGx1cg==

Lmao! Read the comments….

 

Celebritards.

 

He only came across to increase the value of Ferrari
Look at how the stock price jumped the day after

Job done, Ferrari aren't into racing anymore, just presenting a lifestyle, check out their marketing these days

 

Coincidentally Ferrari announced their excellent quarterly result that day as well


Ferrari was always going to sell more merchandise employing Lewis...all his fans had to trade in their Mercedes gear for Ferrari stuff. Put Max in that Ferrari and Ferrari will have yet another great time selling hats, though this time they can actually count on someone driving quick too

 

Explaining Hamilton….More than anything else he’s a product of his times. He was present for the coincidental rise and cultural dominance of social media; the increasing complexity of F1 cars and the rules that govern them. So as the cars became so complex that the “average fan” with a steadily decreasing attention span, shifted his interest to the drivers. This was accelerated as the culture became more obsessed with personality and celebrity. His race made Hamilton unique in F1, which concentrated even more attention on him. All he needed was the right promoter with plenty of audacity and media savvy….Ron Dennis….and then the right team with unlimited resources and commitment….AMG Mercedes.

From the beginning of post-war Grand Prix/F1 up through the mid-1980s knowledgeable fans tended to be loyal to teams, not drivers. So it didn’t matter much to fans who was driving for Ferrari or Lotus or BRM or Williams. People cared more about the marques and the teams just as they do in other sports that are generally more true team sports like American football and baseball. New York Yankees or Green Bay Packers or Boston Celtics fans care much more about the team than they do about who plays for the team

Today, with teams being bought and sold like commodities, with very little differentiation between the cars, with drivers being pushed into the media spotlight by sponsors, handlers and promoters, it’s little wonder that the casual fans gravitate toward driver fandom rather than team loyalty. Lewis Hamilton is the perfect avatar for his time….but not the greatest of all time.

 

I remember Johnny Unitas. He also didn't know when to walk away.

 

The difference between Charles and Lewis i expected is really starting to show.. Italy is about to turn on Lewis.

 

31 seconds down on Leclerc. This has not only been a complete and utter failure, it's downright embarrassing now.

 

I think Hamilton expected to be completely on top of Leclerc by now.

Time for the speculation to begin: What will happen if there’s no improvement by the end of the season? Nobody here knows the terms of the contract….I'm sure both parties have defined termination rights….but my guess is that he stays through this year and probably next year, too…. ”Let’s see what the new rules bring.”

 

The Maranello accountants will present a 316 page profit and loss analysis to the board and if the increasing sale of hats, tshirts and Hamilton teddy bears can still be determined to be profitable vs the track performance going forward, then nothing…

 

I’m sure all that stuff is made under licensing to others, just like the Puma shoes. It depends on whether the vendors stop flogging the merch. But honestly I don’t think that stuff amounts to a lot of money, relatively. The subjective PR problem of an aging, self-pitying, disoriented driver representing The Brand, trying (too hard, imo) to attract a younger following isn’t going to work. That won’t be measurable by the bean counters, but it will be felt in the board room when the Italian and international media turns. “You no mock’a da Cavallino!”

 

When will the thread title be updated to The Hamilton at Ferrari Era is Almost Over?