In a shocking and unfiltered interview, Patrick didn’t hold back, suggesting that Hamilton’s era at the pinnacle of motorsport is definitively over and that Ferrari’s only hope for championship glory lies in poaching their rivals’ star driver, Max Verstappen.
Speaking with [Insert Fictional Prominent Motorsport Publication], a remarkably candid Patrick stated, “Let’s be real, the magic is gone. Lewis is a legend, no doubt, but his time at the very top, fighting for championships year after year, that chapter is closing, if not already closed.
This move to Ferrari was supposed to be his resurgence, his shot at another title, but what we’re seeing is a struggle. The car isn’t performing consistently, and frankly, neither is he, relative to the younger guns.”
Her assessment took an even more controversial turn when discussing Ferrari’s championship aspirations. “Ferrari is an iconic team, they deserve to be fighting at the front, but they haven’t consistently had the package or the drivers to do it in recent years. Let’s face it, Charles [Leclerc] is incredibly talented, but even he hasn’t been able to consistently deliver them a title. The harsh truth is, looking at the current landscape, the only driver I see who could truly unlock Ferrari’s potential and bring them a championship is Max Verstappen. He’s operating on another level right now.”
Patrick’s comments are particularly cutting given the immense hype and anticipation surrounding Hamilton’s switch to the iconic Italian team at the start of the 2025 season. While there were initial flashes of promise, including a sprint race victory in China, recent races, including a difficult qualifying session at the Japanese Grand Prix where Hamilton struggled with the car’s handling and finished a disappointing P8, have raised serious questions about the competitiveness of the Ferrari package and Hamilton’s ability to consistently challenge at the front.
She didn’t shy away from addressing the passionate Tifosi and their expectations. “The Ferrari faithful are desperate for a champion, and you can’t blame them. But pinning all their hopes on Lewis at this stage? It feels like wishful thinking. They need a seismic shift, and in the current driver market, Verstappen is the only one who has unequivocally proven he can dominate and consistently extract every last ounce of performance from a car to win championships.”
These bold pronouncements from Danica Patrick have ignited a fierce debate within the F1 community. While some agree with her blunt assessment, pointing to Hamilton’s recent struggles and Verstappen’s continued dominance, others have criticized her comments as premature and disrespectful to a seven-time World Champion embarking on a new chapter with a legendary team.
The pressure is undoubtedly mounting on both Lewis Hamilton and Scuderia Ferrari HP to turn their fortunes around and prove the doubters wrong. However, Danica Patrick’s stark words serve as a potent reminder of the relentless and unforgiving nature of Formula 1, where past glories offer no guarantee of future success, and only the absolute best can consistently compete for the ultimate prize. The question now is, can Hamilton defy the growing skepticism, or will Ferrari indeed need a Verstappen-esque talent to return to the pinnacle of the sport? Only time will tell.
