Lewis Hamilton 'problem' raised with Piero Ferrari as F1 Brit's dad left stunned

Lewis Hamilton endured a frustrating 2024 season with Mercedes, and vice chairman Piero Ferrari will be hope the seven-time world champion is still at the top of his game as he prepares for his Scuderia career

Piero Ferrari, the son of the iconic team founder Enzo, has expressed full confidence in Lewis Hamilton's prowess as he gears up for his first season with the famous Scuderia.

The British racing legend is embarking on a fresh chapter following his most taxing Formula 1 season yet in 2024. Hamilton will have mixed emotions reflecting on that long and often difficult campaign.

In what would be his last year with Mercedes, the Brit ended a staggering 945-day wait to clinch victory at the British Grand Prix, setting a record as the first F1 driver to triumph nine times at the same circuit.

He notched another win in Belgium shortly after, although it came under unfortunate circumstances when his team-mate George Russell was disqualified post-race, bumping Hamilton up to first place.

Despite these highlights, the year was marred by underlying challenges. Hamilton consistently found himself outpaced in qualifying, trailing behind Russell 19-5 over the course of the season, and too often had to rely on his exceptional racecraft to make up ground on race days.

While that situation has led to some commentators wondering if Hamilton might be on the decline, Piero Ferrari dismisses such doubts. Asked about it by Italian publication Autosprint, he said: "True, but he is fit, both physically and mentally, it doesn't seem to me that age is a problem. He accepted the challenge with enormous enthusiasm, so he is confident in his abilities."

The seven-time world champion has already started getting used to his new team, reports the Express. In mid-January, Hamilton enjoyed his first week with Ferrari, dropping by the Maranello factory to get acquainted with his new engineers and team-mates, and striking a pose for some epic snaps.

His family was right there with him, including dad Anthony Hamilton, mum Carmen, and stepmum Linda, all soaking up the atmosphere in Maranello as the former McLaren and Mercedes ace took the wheel at Fiorano's test track. Not just the team and his nearest and dearest, but also a massive crowd of Tifosi were there for Hamilton, with fans crowding the barriers outside the circuit to root for their newest star.

After burning rubber on the track, the 40-year-old made sure to acknowledge the love by heading over to the barriers to wave at the crowd after the test. The outpouring of support was something even Hamilton's father didn't see coming.

That's according to Piero who added: "The whole extended family was there. I had a chat with his dad, a nice person. He, too, was surprised by the warmth of those who had waited for Lewis at the edge of the track."

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