Red Mist: Luigi Hamilton and his real worth for Ferrari

Much has been said about Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari. Mostly it concerns why Maranello hired one of the last of F1's Old Guard to try to win that first World Championship eluding us Tifosi for almost two decades.

Doubters - Red Mist included - point out that when Ferrari poached Michael Schumacher and half of his management from Briatore’s Benetton, Michael was in the prime of his life. Pretty much where Verstappen is now.

So why not just go get Max, Adrian, Patrick, and a few others from Red Bull? Instead we just have a geriatric at Ferrari. WTF? But hang on a second. This time it’s different. What most people tend to overlook is that Ferrari has a brilliant young driver in his prime.

In fact, they had two. They had to get rid of one to make space for the old codger. Of course, Lewis will want to beat Charles at Ferrari. But that does not seem to be the plan.

Thinking about it, one has to concur that bringing Formula 1’s winningest driver into your team has huge advantages. Not least of all, he knows how to win. And therein lies the rub. The idea seems to be to use Lewis Hamilton as the glue to gel Ferrari together.

To complete the brilliant transition, fun Fred has made over the past two seasons. And move the team forward over the next two. To win that elusive first World Championship since Kimi, God knows when?

Looked at like that, it’s a pretty cool plan. To use Formula 1’s two biggest names to work together to drive our team forward. It’s not impossible that Lewis adds number eight in red over the next two years. Far from it, in fact. Judging by his form. Nor is it a far stretch of the imagination for Leclerc to pull it off.

Either will do, thank you very much. And from there, into 2027, who knows where F1 will be, and who Ferrari can pluck to fill the seat of the man who pushed the team forward? I like the idea.