A former Formula 1 mechanic has suggested he wouldn’t be “surprised” if Lewis Hamilton reached out to Sebastian Vettel in a bid to better understand the limitations of Ferrari’s set-up.
The Briton’s adaptation to the SF-25 has proven tricky, with his best finishes this season being fourth place at Imola, Austria, and Silverstone, keeping him just shy of a maiden podium.
The season’s standout moment came in China, where Hamilton claimed pole for the Sprint and converted it into his first win in red, though a Sunday race victory still remains out of reach in what has been a difficult year.
In the build-up to the summer break, Hamilton scored a handful of points to help Ferrari in the battle for second in the Constructors’ Championship.
However, recent rounds in Belgium and Hungary have been challenging, with Hamilton knocked out of qualifying in every session, including Sprint qualifying at Spa.
A double Q1 exit at Spa shook Hamilton’s confidence, even though he rallied to finish seventh in the race. The struggles continued in Budapest, where a Q2 exit led him to describe himself as “useless” and suggest the team might need to “change driver”.
The seven-time World Champion has been unable to identify the problems behind his lack of form. However, ex-Ferrari mechanic, Francesco Cigarini, has suggested Hamilton’s struggles may be linked to the SF-25’s handling, which suits Charles Leclerc’s driving style but has proven tricky for the Brit.
“Leclerc prefers a very sharply tuned car, with the rear end being very free and requiring a lot of feeling,” he told Sky Sports Italia, as quoted by F1-Insider.
“When Vettel tried to copy that set-up, he ended up looking like a novice. I think that’s exactly what’s happening with Hamilton now.”
Hamilton could call on Vettel for insight into Ferrari struggles
Vettel, a four-time F1 World Champion, is no stranger to the challenges of adapting to Ferrari’s handling.
This is the view of Cigarini, who suggested Hamilton could learn a thing or two from his former rival turned friend.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Hamilton calls Vettel to try to wriggle out of this,” he added.
The German spent two seasons as Leclerc’s Ferrari team-mate, finishing behind the Monegasque in both campaigns.
He eventually left the Italian squad for Aston Martin before retiring at the end of the 2022 season.
Hamilton, in his debut campaign with Ferrari, trails Leclerc by 42 points at the halfway stage.
The ex-Mercedes driver has never been outscored in his first season with a team, but he is now on the verge of losing that record.
Leclerc has already secured multiple podiums and mounted a serious challenge for victory in Hungary, while Hamilton lingered further down the order.
Thus, reaching out to someone who has faced the challenges of driving for Ferrari before could be a smart move to help turn his fortunes around before it’s too late.
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