English press say Ferrari 'flunked it' signing Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton hopes to finally compete for the world title again in 2025 with his new team Ferrari. Domestically, there is some doubt about the Briton's qualities. One major newspaper argues that Verstappen should have been brought in by Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton is statistically the most successful driver the UK has ever produced. Sir Lewis Hamilton has seven world titles, his last in 2020. In 2021, Hamilton lost the championship to Max Verstappen, and since then the Brit's performance has gone downhill. Of course, Hamilton's Mercedes hasn't been good enough to compete with the likes of Red Bull Racing.

At Ferrari, there is a belief that Hamilton still has the speed to compete for wins and titles. That is why the Scuderia decided to tie up the 39-year-old for '25. A huge blunder, according to the English newspaper Daily Mail. Verstappen should have been contracted by Ferrari instead, says the newspaper.

"It is a mistake for Ferrari, the latest of Vasseur’s (a notable other example is to have jettisoned Carlos Sainz, rather than the error-prone Charles Leclerc). If he were shrewder, he would not have signed Lewis, who will be aged 40 by the time he turns a Ferrari steering wheel in anger. He would instead have enlisted Max Verstappen, now 26 and at the peak of his powers." States the Daily Mail.

"Whoever made the call, flunked it." Concludes the newspaper.