Christian Danner tells Lewis Hamilton the only way he can still show people he’s a Formula 1 ‘genius’

Lewis Hamilton is statistically the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time, and the 39-year-old will embark on a new challenge at Ferrari as he looks to continue his legend.

Hamilton raced for the final time with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, finishing an impressive fourth after starting P16 following elimination from the first part of qualifying.

Martin Brunde said Hamilton put in a vintage performance in what was a fitting end to his remarkable 12-year relationship with Mercedes. The Brit won six of his seven world championships with the Silver Arrows between 2014-2020 and broke the record for most wins, podiums and pole positions in F1 history.

But his final few seasons with Mercedes brought about many low moments as the team struggled to provide Hamilton with a car that was competitive enough during the ground effect era.

His struggles are evidenced by the fact that his win at the British Grand Prix this season was his first victory in F1 since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – the final year of the turbo-hybrid era.

Hamilton’s issues with his Mercedes machinery were none the more apparent in 2024. Despite winning two races, the Brit finished seventh in the drivers’ standings behind teammate George Russell – his lowest finish of his 17-year-long F1 career.

Christian Danner says Lewis Hamilton can only show ‘that little bit of genius’ when he is motivated

Hamilton has made his feelings about the W15’s inconsistent nature very clear this season as he has been seen dejected after a disappointing race or session numerous times. Qualifying has been Hamilton’s biggest issue this season, having been considerably beaten by Russell throughout the year as he struggles to find pace over one lap.

Mercedes did find some encouraging performance in the last three races of the season, which Hamilton used to his advantage to storm through the field and finish fourth in Abu Dhabi.

The improvements to the W15 were key to the Brit’s results, but Christian Danner says the only way Hamilton can show that ‘little bit of genius’ is if he is motivated by those around him.

“You could already see that Lewis is a man who you have to motivate and who always accepts that, that’s first of all,” said Danner via the Motorsport-Magazin YouTube channel.

“Clearly the technology was up. In any case, much better with his tyre wall or with the strategy out back, more grip you could clearly see.

But that motivation or that extra little bit of something, that little bit of genius. You can only show it if it’s possible, but you can only show it in Lewis’ situation if you are motivated.

“Lewis needs a little bit of love and a pat on the back, that is what motivates him.”

Can Lewis Hamilton succeed at Ferrari in 2025?

The extra motivation from Mercedes has no doubt been key to Hamilton’s success, which could make the move to Ferrari in 2025 much more difficult.

While it is a fresh and exciting beginning for the 39-year-old, he comes to Ferrari with new surroundings, a new language and new engineers to get familiar with.

Furthermore, he will be up against Charles Leclerc, who is well-established with the Maranello outfit. Hamilton may worry about his qualifying performances at Ferrari as Leclerc has been consistently strong over one lap.

It may be a slow transition for the seven-time world champion into the Ferrari setup, but Hamilton already has the benefit of having the right side of the garage – his preferred side given his time at Mercedes.

Anthony Davdson hopes Hamilton can recapture his magic at Ferrari, and given the Italian team’s performance in 2024, the Brit has a strong chance of doing just that.