Ferrari management must fully commit to Lewis Hamilton if they want to become world champion this year. That is the opinion of former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley. According to the Brit, it is even time for team orders, even if that comes at the expense of Charles Leclerc.
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“I think something this extreme is the only chance Ferrari has to win this world championship,” says Smedley in the High Performance Racing Podcast. “This is the only strategy with which Lewis Hamilton can become world champion.”
Smedley’s statements come at a remarkable moment. Hamilton has been in excellent form in recent weeks. The seven-time world champion won the Austrian Grand Prix at the end of June and finished third last weekend during his home race at Silverstone, after earlier finishing second in the sprint race. Thanks to those results, the Brit has climbed to third place in the World Championship with 147 points, only 32 behind leader Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc did secure his first win of the season in Great Britain, but with 108 points he is still 71 points behind the Mercedes driver.
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Smedley therefore believes Ferrari must make a clear choice in the title fight. “I agree with that one hundred percent,” he answers when asked if Ferrari should have even swapped positions between Hamilton and Leclerc during the British Grand Prix.
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‘Goes against logic’
Normally, Smedley is not a supporter of team orders, but in the current situation he sees no alternative. “I am actually going against my own logic with this. But if Ferrari tries to beat Mercedes only with the car and lets Hamilton and Leclerc race freely against each other, while there is such a big difference in the World Championship standings, the chance of the world title decreases significantly.”
According to the former race engineer of Felipe Massa, it is therefore time to put all the cards on Hamilton. “Why would you take that risk? I think this is the only strategy with which Lewis Hamilton can become world champion.”
So far this season, Ferrari has stayed away from team orders. Both drivers are given the freedom to race freely, but after Leclerc’s win at Silverstone and Hamilton’s podium finish, the Scuderia seems to be slowly closing the gap with Mercedes. After nine races, Mercedes leads the constructors’ championship with 333 points, compared to 255 for Ferrari.
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