For Mercedes technical director James Allison, Lewis Hamilton is still “the best racing driver there ever was” – what he thinks awaits him at Ferrari
With his victory at Silverstone, Lewis Hamilton has once again immortalized himself in the history books of Formula 1. His triumph caused a storm of enthusiasm among his fans and at Mercedes, while the competition found words of appreciation
It was one of those magical days, as Mercedes technical director James Allison described it in the Formula 1 podcast Beyond the Grid, which was recorded before the Silverstone weekend. Among other things, he was asked what he will miss most about Hamilton when he switches to Ferrari.
His answer: “The days when he just exuded total magic, so you thought: my goodness, putting a car on the road with such precision that all the other drivers have no choice but to submit to what Lewis does on the road. The ability to just keep a tire alive for so long, even when he tells Bono it wouldn’t work, oh wow.”
For Allison, it was clear even before Hamilton’s comeback on the podium “that he is the best racing driver there ever was, and I still believe that”.
The British engineer has also worked with greats such as Michael Schumacher, first at Benetton and later at Ferrari. But if he had to make a decision and “choose the best person, I would choose Lewis,” Allison affirms.
The fact that Hamilton decided to leave Mercedes at the end of this season and join Ferrari before the start of the Formula 1 season came as “no great surprise” to Allison. “I was surprised at the way it happened, at the timing,” admits the Briton.
“But I was aware of the nature of the contract we had offered, and the nature of the contract we had offered allowed for this.” At Mercedes, Hamilton could have extended his contract by one year, with the option of a further year. At Ferrari, he received a three-year contract until 2027, according to team boss Fred Vasseur.
With this in mind, Allison says: “We shouldn’t be surprised because we were explicitly prepared for this, otherwise we wouldn’t have included it as an option in the contract. The exact timing and sequence I think surprised everyone a little bit, but the fact that it happened was not unforeseeable. “
Having worked at Ferrari twice himself, Allison has a rough idea of what Hamilton will expect there. “Well, he will get a taste of the spirit and passion of this team,” says the Mercedes technical director, looking ahead.
At the same time, however, he also warns: “I think it could be difficult at Ferrari at first. Because Ferrari is the star. I think every driver who has raced there has had to come to terms with that. If Lewis really embraces it and loves it like Michael does, then they both have the opportunity to be great. If he doesn’t, then I think the brand and Ferrari will always dominate. “