Lewis Hamilton just stamped his name into the history books of Formula 1 yet again as he clinched an unforgettable victory at Silverstone last weekend.
SBOTOP F1 fans were treated to a record-extending 104th Grand Prix win for the Brit—his first taste at the top-step of the podium since Saudi Arabia in 2021.
He also took another one of Michael Schumacher’s long-standing records of most wins at a single circuit (eight wins at Magny-Cours), with this triumph being his ninth-time winning at his home race.
Behind the festivities, many wonder if Sir Lewis made the erroneous decision of signing with the Prancing Horse for next year.
After all, they’re not far from Ferrari this year, with the two teams only separated by seven points, and with back-to-back wins in Austria and Great Britain, perhaps the Formula 1 2024 odds have finally swung in their favour.
Couple that with Ferrari’s locker room problems and ever-present strategic blunders, and you might wonder why on earth did Hamilton sign with them?
It’s neither shocking nor a mistake, and I will tell you why.
Ferrari is Formula 1
Enzo Ferrari once famously said that if you asked a child to draw a car, he will draw it red.
That is a fact in the racing world, moreso in Formula 1 where the Scuderia is synonymous with greatness—no matter how much they have shot themselves in the foot for the past decade.
A good chunk of the hall of famers have driven for the Maranello outfit: Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Gilles Villeneuve, Juan Manuel Fangio, Alberto Ascari and so much more. I could go on for ages, and the list will not end.
Whether or not a driver had a warm relationship with Ferrari’s business end or not, the fact remains that if all drivers will have it their way, Ferrari are what their hearts shout.
In the sport, winning races and championships are one thing; winning in a red car is another.
Mercedes are a storied team in the sport. The same goes with Mclaren, Williams, and Red Bull. You could even add the teams of the olden days like Lotus.
They all have a couple things in common: immense success in the sport and, at one point, having mopped the floor with the Scuderia.
I remember how it stung with Alonso back in 2010 and 2012, followed by Vettel in 2017 and 2018.
Seeing how things unfold with Charles Leclerc since joining in 2019, one needs not a technical eye to notice the trend of Ferrari fumbling and tumbling down, time and time again.
Yet the allure and grandiosity every single time one of the aforementioned drivers rises to the occasion and takes the chequered flag is second to none.
Who can forget Alonso’s emotion with Valencia in 2012, or Vettel’s ecstatic radio messageto his garage at Sepang in 2015, or in 2019 when Leclerc stood tall in Monza.
Winning with Ferrari isn’t just claiming a trophy and a bunch of points. It’s an ode to Formula 1, and I don’t think Hamilton would want that ecstasy to elude him right before his career ends.
Come to think of it, he has done it all, and won everywhere he went. He could end his unrivalled career with the team he’s most successful with.
So why leave now?
Time has passed
One could argue that better days are coming despite Mercedes’ lacklustre 2024 Formula 1 results, and that they could potentially challenge again in the near future.
Be that as it may, his time at Brackley is now over.
He was upfront about why he left. He wanted to chase something new and exciting, and start winning again. And when you want those, Ferrari are the place to be.
Vettel won four consecutive titles at Red Bull, whilst Fernando Alonso was dominating with Flavio Briatore at Renault. Michael Schumacher won the title with Benetton in 1994 and 1995 before making the switch to a Ferrari team that last won the title in 1979.
And whilst only Schumacher was able to realise a championship success, it goes to show how irresistible Ferrari are.
It does not matter if you are winning or if your car is the best on the grid. The best in the sport will always yearn for the tifosi. It has been this way since, it will be this way forever.
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