Hill picks a side
Pick one. That is Damon Hill’s message to Ferrari, and he has no doubt about which name should be on the card.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ The F1 Show on Tuesday, the 1996 world champion argued that the Scuderia should build its 2027 campaign around Lewis Hamilton rather than split its resources between the seven-time champion and Charles Leclerc. Hill had already floated the idea on social media after Mexico. This time he laid out the reasoning in full.
“They have invested all this in Lewis,” Hill said. In his view, a competitive Ferrari next season could chase both titles, but not with two drivers racing each other the way they have this year. “It makes sense to me to put all your eggs behind Lewis,” he added, pointing to an eighth world title that is “just sitting there.”
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Mexico still hangs over the garage
The trigger was the opening lap in Mexico City. Hamilton had started from pole and was leading, Leclerc was second, and the two Ferraris made contact. A probable one-two vanished and Max Verstappen took the win. Hamilton was furious with what he saw as a reckless move on a team-mate, and Fred Vasseur made no secret of his own irritation.
Both drivers say they cleared the air at Interlagos a week later. Hill isn’t convinced the problem ends there. He spoke of “factions” inside Maranello pulling in different directions, a political issue he believes has to be settled before Ferrari can take on Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes. He also acknowledged that Leclerc could reasonably object, having been at the team far longer. His answer: look at the results.
Hill credits Hamilton with a real revival. The Briton looked a fading force in 2025, beaten by Leclerc in his first Ferrari season after losing out to George Russell in his final Mercedes year. In 2026 he has taken poles and won in Barcelona, his first victory in red.
Davidson isn’t buying it
Anthony Davidson, sitting alongside Hill, pushed back. Number one status, he said, has to be earned on the stopwatch, the way Verstappen did at Red Bull or Michael Schumacher did against Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa and Eddie Irvine. Handing it to Hamilton by decree would sit badly with him given Leclerc’s raw speed.
The standings back his caution. Hamilton is fourth in the drivers’ championship, only 12 points and one place ahead of Leclerc. Not exactly a gap that settles the argument.
The debate moves on to Las Vegas, where the grid reconvenes from November 20 to 22.
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