Hamilton and Vettel link-up could fix Ferrari woes

Could two F1 legends come together to try and find a solution to Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari woes?

There's no doubt that Charles Leclerc has run circles around both Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. The Monegasque driver is currently sat 42 points ahead of Hamilton having out-qualified him 10-4 in 2025, and he finished above Vettel in both of the seasons that they spent as Ferrari team-mates.

Hamilton is yet to secure a single grand prix podium in 2025, while Leclerc has claimed five in the same SF-25 car.

According to former Ferrari mechanic Francesco Cigarini, that is down to Leclerc enjoying a different car setup to what the two legends - who have 11 championships between them - are used to.

"Leclerc prefers a car with a very precise setup, with a very free rear end that requires a lot of sensitivity," the Italian told Sky Italia.

"When Vettel tried to copy that setup, he ended up looking like a beginner. I think that's exactly what's happening to Hamilton now."

Cigarini then made the astonishing suggestion that Hamilton and Vettel could work together to try and solve the Brit's problems against his team-mate, saying: "I wouldn't be surprised if Hamilton called Vettel to try to get out of this situation."

Will Hamilton and Vettel work together?

Vettel's time spent with the Scuderia was frustrating. Coming off the back of four consecutive championships with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, Vettel endured one tough season in 2014 before joining Ferrari in 2015 while his stock in the sport was still at meteoric levels.

Despite claiming victory in just his second race with Ferrari, Vettel ultimately failed, not picking up any more titles across the remainder of his career and failing to return Ferrari to championship-winning ways.

All there was to celebrate was 14 race victories between 2015 and 2020. However, at this rate, that's looking to be a hell of a lot more than Hamilton can celebrate since his blockbuster transfer to Ferrari from Mercedes.

Without a single grand prix podium or victory, Hamilton has headed into the summer break sat down in sixth in the drivers' championship, likely pondering whether he can ever return to the kind of form that saw him claim six championships in seven years between 2014 and 2020.

It was Hamilton and his Mercedes team that prevented Vettel from winning any championships with Ferrari, but who knows, the pair could now be united by their struggles at the Scuderia, and their passion to return the team to the front.

Cigarini's comments would make sense. Hamilton can learn a lot from Vettel's failings, as well as learn a lot from how the German managed to get the Ferrari fans onside so quickly despite not being an Italian.

Hamilton's troubles compared to his team-mate are largely down to driver underperformance, but the SF-25 has not helped either so far in his first campaign in red. It would benefit Hamilton greatly if he can start providing more feedback to the team about how they can shape the 2026 car design to better suit his talents.

That's where a conversation with Vettel could come in handy, with the four-time world champion knowing all too well what it's like to be outpaced by the supremely talented Leclerc.

Can Hamilton rediscover his form?

Hamilton's 2025 form has led the seven-time champion to describe himself as 'useless', and even suggesting that his Ferrari team should replace him, despite being contracted until the end of 2026.

Next season, new regulations are set to sweep into the sport, which could provide a chance for Hamilton to reset.

It's clear the current generation of cars are not suited to his supreme talents - he has only won two races since the start of the current ground effect era - but 2026 cars could be more suited to his driving style.

On top of this, the new era offers a fresh start for teams, too, with there being a chance that Ferrari can make a jump on their rivals and become the sport's top team.

In that instance, Hamilton would likely be ringing Carlos Sainz for advice on how to beat Leclerc in the drivers' championship, rather than Sebastian Vettel.

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