90% Against It

Legendary driver Arturo Merzario, remembered for saving Niki Lauda at Nürburgring in 1976, dropped a bombshell about Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian claimed that the seven-time champion’s signing was nothing more than a “commercial operation” and that 90% of the staff disapproved of the decision.

“When a driver doesn’t feel like an integral part of the group, he loses motivation. Why push yourself for three tenths if you’re starting from the third row?” he explained.

Hamilton Under the Microscope

Merzario believes Hamilton can still turn things around but warns that he will only take risks when it truly matters. “He’s not going to fight for eighth place. If he wanted to leave, he’d find another team. He has already proven his worth — he’s not in Leclerc’s situation, who still needs to show he’s a champion,” he said.
The Italian also downplayed Hamilton’s harsh words in Hungary (“I’m useless, Ferrari should change drivers”), saying they were ironic, but admitted that “such remarks aren’t acceptable for a seven-time world champion.”

The Mood in Maranello

Rumors of a divided Ferrari garage had already surfaced during preseason. Hamilton’s arrival shifted the balance: Carlos Sainz’s simplicity contrasted with the overwhelming media attention on the Brit, a shift that reportedly unsettled some within Maranello.

Even so, everything could change with a strong result. A podium or a victory could restore lost confidence and ease the tension surrounding the most high-profile signing of the Formula 1 season.