Johnny Herbert isn’t holding back when it comes to Lewis Hamilton’s current form at Ferrari. According to the former Sky F1 pundit and FIA steward, the ‘horrible truth’ is that Ferrari can’t rely on the seven-time World Champion like they once could. Herbert’s comments suggest that Hamilton, who was expected to thrive at Ferrari, is struggling to maintain the raw pace that made him a dominant force in Formula 1.
Herbert compares Hamilton’s situation to past legends like Nigel Mansell and Michael Schumacher, both of whom experienced declines after reaching their peaks. Herbert believes if Hamilton were still at his peak, he would be able to perform like Max Verstappen, who continues to extract maximum performance from his Red Bull car. However, since joining Ferrari, Hamilton’s only notable success has been a pole position and victory in a China Sprint race. The Spanish Grand Prix was especially tough, with Hamilton finishing sixth after being asked to let his teammate Charles Leclerc through. Leclerc’s podium finish only widened his lead over Hamilton by 23 points in the standings.
Hamilton came to Ferrari with an impressive track record, sharing the record for the most World Championships and boasting numerous wins, poles, and podiums. However, at 40, his transition to Ferrari has not gone as planned. Herbert laments, ‘It just looks like Lewis Hamilton is lost, really lost. I don’t know if the raw pace that he’s always had throughout his career is there anymore.’ This sentiment echoes worries when Hamilton joined Ferrari, hoping for a rejuvenated career.
Compounding the issues, Hamilton appears to be struggling to connect with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami. Herbert points out that miscommunications and strategic missteps have been detrimental. This lack of synergy has seemingly left Hamilton searching for his comfort zone since his last win in China.
Despite these setbacks, Herbert believes the old Hamilton could still shine in the current Ferrari, drawing parallels with Verstappen’s continued dominance despite new challenges from McLaren. ‘The greats of the sport, at their peak, get the best out of their car. Max Verstappen is doing it right now. Hamilton just can’t seem to get the extra he needs anymore,’ notes Herbert. With Leclerc outshining Hamilton in the same car, Herbert argues that Ferrari should back Leclerc as their future hopeful to end a championship drought since 2008.
Herbert’s assessment is clear: Lewis Hamilton, a giant in Formula 1, is not delivering the way Ferrari hoped. With Leclerc performing better in the same machinery, Ferrari’s focus might need to shift towards supporting their current leader fully. As painful as it is to accept, the era where Hamilton was the obvious go-to for results seems to be fading, and Ferrari must adapt to the new reality.
