Ferrari legend urges Hamilton to hold on: ‘It’s not over’

As Lewis Hamilton grapples with a challenging debut season at Ferrari, a storied figure from the Scuderia’s past has stepped forward to offer perspective, urging the seven-time World Champion to remain patient and wait for the right moment to reverse his fortunes.

This year’s campaign has been a tough transition for Hamilton, whose move to Ferrari paired the sport’s most successful driver with its most iconic team, yet has yielded lackluster results.

Speaking to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, former Ferrari veteran Arturo Merzario, who made his F1 debut with the Italian outfit in 1972 and started eleven Grands Prix with the Scuderia, shared insights drawn from his own experience, arguing that patience will be crucial if Hamilton is to turn his fortunes around.

"It's not over. He is just waiting for the right opportunity,” insisted Grand Prix racing’s original Marlboro man.

“He will only risk when necessary, not for an eighth position. Also because, if he ever wanted to leave, he would find another team. Hamilton has already shown what he is worth.

“It's not Charles Leclerc's situation: Charles still has to prove that he is a champion.”

Merzario’s own Ferrari tenure ended prematurely in 1973 after tensions with teammate Jacky Ickx and disapproval from team founder Enzo Ferrari.

“In 1973 I chose to leave the team. When I got Mauro Forghieri out of trouble, life had become very hard for me. So I made my decision before facing the last few races,” he said.

Commercial deal or racing project?

Hamilton’s high-profile move to Maranello was billed as the perfect marriage of the sport’s most successful driver with its most famous team.

Yet results have not matched the hype, and many – including Merzario - believe the rationale behind the deal may not have been purely competitive.

“In my opinion, Hamilton's arrival in Maranello was a commercial operation,” said the 82-year-old Italian. “Ninety per cent of Ferrari insiders disagreed, at least as far as I know.

“And then, when a driver does not feel valued or an integral part of the group to achieve a goal, he loses motivation.

“Why go crazy to gain three tenths while still remaining on the third row?"

Addressing Hamilton’s depressing reaction after qualifying in Hungary last time out, when the Briton called himself “useless”, Merzario offered a layered interpretation.

“I think his reaction was ironic in some respects,” he said. “Certainly his position was not what a seven-time world champion could imagine.

“Rather, it seems to me that Lewis is feeling 'demolished' by Ferrari.”

Read also:

• Rosberg: Ferrari 'must listen' to Hamilton’s guidance amid struggles

Merzario’s comments suggest that Hamilton’s frustration was rooted not only in subpar results but also in the emotional weight of racing for a team with such immense expectations.

As Ferrari works to close the gap to the front of the grid, Hamilton’s ability to remain patient and capitalize on key moments could define his legacy at Maranello.

For now, the F1 world watches to see if the sport’s most decorated driver can transform his Ferrari chapter into a story of triumph.

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