Briatore: 'You can even hire Batman, but if the car doesn't drive...'

For many people, Lewis Hamilton's transfer to Ferrari came as a surprise. The 39-year-old Briton has repeatedly let it be known that he wanted to finish his Formula 1 career at Mercedes. Now, however, he has backtracked on that. According to Flavio Briatore, former team principal at Benetton and Renault, Hamilton have had his reasons.

February 1 will go down in Formula 1 as historical day. After years of speculation and talks, Hamilton's switch to Ferrari has finally been finalised. From 2025, the seven-time world champion will compete for the Scuderia.

The car is a problem at Ferrari at the moment

Flavio Briatore has had two world champions under him in his career as team principal, namely Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. He has seen both men leave. Speaking to LaPresse, Briatore indicated that even he was surprised. ''I am very surprised about Hamilton's move to Ferrari, he must have had his reasons.The only thing to say is to wish Ferrari and the British driver well. Why surprised? I think he has warned the team these days, Mercedes has done a lot for him. He will get used to this reality. Do I agree with the choice? I don't know.''

At the moment, the Ferrari is not competitive. During qualifying the car still does its job, but during the race the Scuderia fails to win consistently. Briatore continued that it is crucial for the car to perform. ''First of all you have to get the car right, you can also have 'Batman' in the team but if the car is not competitive it's not like the driver can make a difference. It is fundamental that the car works."

Hamilton is thoughtful

As Briatore pointed out, Hamilton will have had his reasons for leaving. His switch from McLaren to Mercedes also came as a surprise to many and it has worked out well for him. He won no fewer than six world titles in 11 years at Mercedes. A driver like Lewis Hamilton does not move without a reason.