Tom Clarkson, Formula 1 broadcaster and presenter of official press conferences, has claimed that Ferrari missed a great opportunity by not hiring Gianpiero Lambiase to work alongside Lewis Hamilton. According to Clarkson, the engineer would have been the ideal “buffer” for the seven-time world champion.
Hamilton had a difficult race during the Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, where he finished fourth after receiving a five-second penalty for a clash with his former Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Aside from the penalty, Hamilton expressed his dissatisfaction with Ferrari’s strategy over the radio and experienced a complicated pit stop that prevented his team from adjusting his damaged front wing. In light of this situation, Clarkson discussed the possibility of Ferrari hiring Lambiase, who is known for being Max Verstappen‘s race engineer.
Clarkson argued that Lambiase’s arrival at McLaren has been a good move, stating that “if he was available to leave Red Bull, GP would have been the perfect person for Ferrari”. According to him, his command of both Italian and English, as well as his experience, would have been beneficial for managing communication with Hamilton.
However, commentator and former driver Alex Brundle has expressed doubts about whether Lambiase’s direct communication style would have suited Hamilton well. Brundle pointed out that his approach might not be well received by the British driver, who prefers a softer microphone during competitions.
Clarkson, however, believes that Lambiase’s ability to get the best out of any driver could have been a great asset for both Hamilton and other drivers like Lando Norris at McLaren.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
