Ferrari Should Back Hamilton in Title Fight

Ferrari’s dilemma is no longer a quiet, internal debate. It’s being aired in public, and the message is blunt: if Maranello want real influence on this year’s world championship, they should build their campaign around Lewis Hamilton, not Charles Leclerc.

The flashpoint came at Zandvoort. Hamilton, on an alternate strategy at the Dutch Grand Prix, bristled over team radio as he sat behind his Ferrari teammate, demanding the team instruct Leclerc to move aside. It wasn’t just frustration in the heat of battle; it was the sound of a seven-time world champion convinced he is their best shot at something bigger.

Rob Smedley, the former Ferrari engineer who knows the inner workings of the Scuderia as well as anyone, didn’t dodge the issue. Speaking on the High Performance Racing Podcast, he laid out the cold logic behind backing Hamilton.

“As hard as that is for Charles and the team that sits on that side of the garage with Charles and all the rest of it, they all work for Ferrari,” he said. The point was clear: sentiment lives in one garage, but the championship table sits in the main office.

Smedley didn’t dress it up. In his eyes, Hamilton has simply delivered more. “Lewis has had the better run and done the better job. And I think if they're going to steal points from Mercedes, they're going to do that as a team.”

That’s the crux of it. Ferrari do not have the outright best car every weekend. They know it, the paddock knows it. But on certain Sundays, when the balance is sweet and the tyres behave, the red car is a weapon. On those days, Smedley argues, the strategy has to be ruthless.

“They haven't got the best car consistently, but they have on occasions got the best car, and they're going to make it count then, and they're going to make sure that Lewis wins. On all the other occasions, they're just going to make sure that they maximize Lewis' points.”

No ambiguity there. When the opportunity arises, Ferrari should shape the race around Hamilton. When it doesn’t, they should still ring every possible point out of his weekends.

For Smedley, it’s not a question of favouritism, but of arithmetic. “This is just about doing what is the sensible thing for the team and trying to maximize Ferrari's position in the world championship,” he concluded.

The standings sharpen that argument. Hamilton sits level on points with his former Mercedes teammate George Russell, both chasing from distance. They trail championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 59 points. That gap is not insurmountable, but it leaves no room for internal compromise or split loyalties on key strategy calls.

Ferrari have lived through this kind of crossroads before. The difference now is that their potential kingmaker is a driver who has built an entire career on turning thin margins into title runs. The question is whether they are prepared to commit fully to that reality, even if it means asking Leclerc to play the supporting role more often than he would like.

Piquet’s heartfelt message to daughter Penelope draws Verstappen’s support

Away from the noise of the pit wall and the politics of team orders, a quieter, more personal story unfolded on social media.

Kelly Piquet, partner of Max Verstappen, shared an emotional message dedicated to her daughter Penelope, reflecting on a turbulent spell since the young girl’s recent birthday. She didn’t spell out what had happened over the last month, but the tone made it clear it had been a period full of reflection and lessons.

Rather than dwell on specifics, Piquet wrote about what motherhood has taught her and how it has reshaped the way she sees the world. The post moved from reflection to a direct address to her daughter, a promise laid out in public.

“My P, I will always listen to you, stand up for you, protect your gentleness, and remind you that your feelings matter. I hope your seventh year brings you the peace, freedom, and carefree joy that every little girl deserves.”

It was a rare, open glimpse into the human side of a paddock often defined by lap times and pressure. Verstappen’s support underlined that, a reminder that behind the helmets and headlines, this sport still revolves around families, not just trophies.