Here is the thing about building a championship-winning machine: it requires ruthless clarity. According to Motorsport.com Deutschland, 1996 Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill has urged Ferrari to make Lewis Hamilton its definitive number one driver, warning that an internal rivalry could otherwise derail their title ambitions.
The debate around Ferrari's driver lineup has intensified. Max Verstappen previously suggested that having both Hamilton and Leclerc in the same garage could prove a disadvantage in certain situations. Hill shares that concern, explaining to Sky that the current intra-team dynamic is simply unviable if the Scuderia wants to fight at the very front.
Current standings show Leclerc sitting as the fifth-placed driver in the championship, one position behind his teammate. Hill points out that Leclerc will enter his ninth season as a permanent Ferrari driver in 2027, having finished as runner-up once in 2022, though Leclerc did finish the 2025 season clearly ahead of Hamilton.
Hill paints a picture of internal division within the team, describing a political problem with factions backing different sides. To stand a chance against rivals like Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes, the British former driver insists a team principal must make a definitive call and put everything behind Hamilton. The logic is simple: the team invested heavily to bring the Briton to Maranello, and securing a historic eighth world title would shatter the joint record currently held with Michael Schumacher.
As for Leclerc's position as a former Ferrari junior, Hill acknowledges the loyalty argument but cuts through it with a focus on cold reality. He admits Leclerc might argue the decision is unfair given his tenure, but counters that results must dictate the approach. Hill also praised Hamilton's current campaign, noting that the veteran has performed far better than anticipated, capturing pole positions and winning races in a Ferrari when few thought it possible after a difficult first year in Maranello.
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