Red Mist: Red 44; Hyper or Hype?

Straight up, what’s your take on Red 44? Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for the next two seasons?

My Tifosi heart tells me he will win his eighth World Championship. My brain says something rather different. So the jury is out. Which will it be? Time certainly will tell.

Like every good story, there are two sides to it. Let’s start with the positives, then.

There is absolutely no doubt about Lewis Hamilton’s incredible ability. In the cockpit and around the car, in the box, et al. I think he’s still the only guy able to take it to Max. And the only guy Max will take seriously when Lewis is finally back. Alonso too, maybe, but hey, that Aston Martin!

Lewis is also a seven-time World Champion. Some will say eight, but rather, let’s not go there. That in itself brings great kudos. If anyone knows how to win world championships, then Lewis is statistically brilliantly qualified to do just that.

And then there’s Ferrari. By all accounts going in the right direction when the ship he’s abandoning is still clearly dithering on another course.

The black cars won a coupe this year. But then they fell off the wagon again. Red Bull has had an awful time of late. Only Max’s sheer brilliance stole them that last win. Let’s see what happens in Vegas. Happily, whatever does, won’t stay there. But Ferrari starred in the latter races.

Which leads me to 2026. The second year of Hamilton’s current Maranello contract. Traditionally, a new rules set has handed the advantage to a different team. Mercedes took it over from Red Bull when the turbos came in 2014. And handed it back to Red Bull at those rules’ first big amendment (2022).

The next big change comes the year after next. Will the order reshuffle again? And who will pick that up? Ferrari, perhaps? But anyone’s guess.

So looked at like that, there’s a lot going for that Eighth F1 World Championship Theorem. But there’s just as much against it, too.

Lewis is 40 in January. And yes, Alonso is proving F1 age a fallacy. Or is he? How much of it is a bad Aston Martin? And how much is it an over-the-hill Fernando? C’mon let’s be honest now!

Lewis is now also well beyond that accepted threshold of what an old F1 driver is. His sell-by date. In this woke modern age.

Never mind, the rest of the grid will induct the youngest bunch of rookies F1 has seen in a while. Never mind one or two really quick semaphores. The youngest ever, I think. Our anoraks should check that. Maybe one of those kids is very well the next big thing. As rich as most of their daddies are.

Some are asking about Hamilton’s motivation right now. But then he blurted it all out way early, and that’s certainly soured things in the black corner.

My other issue with that whole catastrophe is that it was part of a plot to further massage Ferrari stock on the same day that they announced some decent figures. Some may even consider it insider trading, but what do I know about that?

Which leads one to wonder. Is Red 44 a racing call? Or a business one? In that context, if Lewis fails and they are still smiling at Maranello, then they’re all traitors.

See, this is F1. Not Broad Street. And if Ferrari’s scions apparent are making these moves to simply fleece their own pockets off shareholder success rather than winning races and championships, then it’s very much a case of treachery against the Tifosi.

Red Mist for one hopes beyond hope that Lewis does pull it off. Cause if he doesn’t, then what the hell are we supporting here?

So, please, Lewis, do it for the Tifosi!