Lewis Hamilton finds himself trailing teammate Charles Leclerc by a whopping 66 points, but Ferrari’s been told they need to back their new star anyway – “even if the stopwatch isn’t rewarding him today.”
“If he suggests something and is not listened to because ‘Leclerc is faster’, it becomes a vicious circle,” warns Francesco Cigarini, a former Ferrari mechanic.
The Schumacher connection might hold the key.
Cigarini, who worked at Ferrari during Michael Schumacher‘s dominant era that delivered five consecutive championship doubles, points to what made those years so special. There was “total trust between driver and team” and everyone understood they were “working towards a common goal.”
“Everyone took responsibility for their own role, and if they lost, they lost together,” he told Fanpage.it.
Hamilton’s struggled since joining Ferrari this season. Despite making some progress lately, the seven-time world champion still can’t match Leclerc in qualifying or on race day.
But Cigarini believes Ferrari needs to look beyond immediate results.
## Ferrari warned of potential vicious circle
“Hamilton brings knowledge and organisation typical of British teams, which are highly structured and different from Ferrari,” Cigarini explained.
The former mechanic thinks signing Hamilton was smart – not just for marketing but for his experience.
“The question is how much weight the team really gives to what he says. If he suggests something and is not listened to because ‘Leclerc is faster’, it becomes a vicious circle: the driver does not feel part of the technical management.”
It comes down to different driving styles.
“Leclerc is very fast and is more used to driving on eggshells. Hamilton is strong, but he needs a more solid car. If you listen to him, you can improve in the long term.”
Building a championship-winning team doesn’t happen overnight. Cigarini remembers how it took time when Schumacher and Jean Todt were rebuilding Ferrari into a powerhouse.
“It took patience at first, but then the results came.”
His advice is clear.
“I would put my full trust in Lewis, even if the stopwatch isn’t rewarding him today. And Leclerc will also benefit from this,” he concluded.
## Elkann under fire from F1 icon
Meanwhile, Ferrari’s leadership is facing criticism too. Former F1 team owner Gian Carlo Minardi recently slammed Ferrari executive John Elkann for publicly criticizing the team and drivers after their double DNF in Sao Paulo.
Minardi believes a true leader keeps criticism behind closed doors and acts more like a “family man” than a judge handing down verdicts.
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