F1 legend believes Hamilton can be 'catalyst' for first Ferrari title since 2008

Ferrari legend Rob Smedley has backed Lewis Hamilton's move to the Scuderia to be the 'catalyst' that could see the team return to their former glory.

Ferrari have not won the constructors' championship since 2008, with Kimi Raikkonen being the last Ferrari driver to win the drivers' championship back in 2007.

In recent years the team have shown pace in qualifying, yet have failed to convert that into regular race wins.

READ MORE: F1 champion reveals Hamilton would have STAYED at Mercedes if key condition met

Yet with Hamilton now teaming up with Charles Leclerc from 2025, Smedley thinks that could all be about to change.

Smedley: Hamilton can be Ferrari catalyst

“I think Lewis definitely can be a catalyst for crystallising the team around him or around him and Charles [Leclerc]," he told F1.com.

"Sometimes a Formula 1 team just needs something to help them put in that extra one per cent and when you’re putting in 110 per cent, putting in that extra one or two per cent makes a massive difference.

“It's the same as what happened with Red Bull after their fallow period – once you start to win, it actually becomes difficult to stop. You've got to almost make specific interventions for it to stop, like breaking up the team, key drivers leaving, or stuff like that. That's how periods of domination stop.

“But you see, once it gets a sniff of winning and it's got instrumental people within that team – people like Lewis, who are just winning machines and are driven to win, weekend in, weekend out – if you’ve got those people leading your team, it becomes difficult to lose. I think that's what we may see with Ferrari.”

READ MORE: Will Hamilton's MASSIVE Ferrari gamble work?

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Lewis Hamilton admits 'that wasn't the best version of me' after criticising Ferrari

• 37 minutes ago

Lewis Hamilton opens up on Ferrari 'frustration' after team-mate battle ruins podium chances

• Today 08:59

F1 star is set to lose his job and Ferrari and McLaren are in a fight to replace him with 'their guy'

• 2 hours ago

Ferrari flops and Max misery: Five F1 things we learned from the Dutch Grand Prix

• 3 hours ago

F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton fumes at Ferrari as stars hit with huge Dutch Grand Prix penalties

• Today 16:30

Ferrari unleash multiple upgrades at Dutch GP as Lewis Hamilton steps up F1 title bid

• August 21, 2026 15:30