Ferrari F1: Lewis Hamilton refuses to finish like Alonso and Vettel

Lewis Hamilton didn't come to Ferrari to make up the numbers. At the age of 40, the seven-time world champion has his sights set firmly on an eighth world title. And he's clear on one point: he refuses to end up like Fernando Alonso or Sebastian Vettel, two former champions who came to Maranello with high hopes... but left without a crown.

Since his arrival at Scuderia Ferrari in 2025, Hamilton is more involved than ever. Mixed results on the track, best P4 position to date, but behind the scenes, the Briton is getting restless. There's no question of following the same path as his predecessors. He is stepping up the number of meetings, visits to Maranello and technical exchanges. His message is clear: if Ferrari is to have any hope of winning the title, it must change radically, and quickly.

Reports, meetings, a method

Hamilton didn't wait for things to sort themselves out. During the summer break between Silverstone and Spa, he made several visits to the Ferrari factory, meeting not only the engineers, but also the most senior executives: John Elkann (president), Benedetto Vigna (CEO), and of course Frédéric Vasseur (team principal).

He hasn't been content with mere discussions. He has sent three strategic documents to the team since the start of the season. The content? Concrete proposals on areas for improvement: internal organization, development management, and above all, single-seater design.

"I held many meetings with the department heads, discussed the 2026 engine, the suspension, the weaknesses of the current car... I even worked with 30 engineers to debrief the 2026 version tested in the simulator," Hamilton confided.

The shadow of Alonso and Vettel

Why such relentlessness? Because Hamilton knows Ferrari's recent history. As he pointed out, Fernando Alonso (2009-2014) and Sebastian Vettel (2015-2020) gave their all, but never achieved the Holy Grail. Only Kimi Räikkönen managed to win a drivers' title in 2007 in the Scuderia's colors.

"Kimi, Fernando, Sebastian... all champions. And yet, they didn't become champions with Ferrari. I don't want that to be my case either", he declared.

What Hamilton is proposing goes far beyond driving. He wants to influence the working culture at Ferrari, change development methods and strengthen coherence between departments.

"It's a gigantic organization, with many moving parts. Not all of them work at full capacity. My role is to question every area, every decision, he explains.

Far from causing tension, his interventions seem to be well received. According to Hamilton, the team is "incredibly receptive". Changes have already been implemented, some visible, others more subtle.

Objective: to win

Hamilton hammers it home: "I'm here to win. And he believes in it. He sees in Ferrari immense potential, a unique passion, a heritage to be sublimated. It's not just about winning another title, it's about making history.

"I really believe Ferrari can become world champion again. But while I'm here, that's my only objective.