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The discussion centered around one provocative question: is Lewis Hamilton now Ferrari’s second driver? As the analysts delved deeper into the numbers and performances, comparisons with Antonelli and several other drivers across the grid naturally emerged.
The question of the second driver
Pino Allievi expressed his view without hesitation: “I wonder how Ferrari plans to handle things next season, because by now Lewis Hamilton is a second driver. He’s Leclerc’s number two. We have to be realistic.”
Giorgio Terruzzi agreed with Allievi’s assessment and expanded on the thought: “He’s a second driver tied to that role because Antonelli, at some point, is even going faster than George Russell — and we’re talking about a rookie against a driver with great experience and speed. There are young talents within the teams who are surprising everyone, from Oliver Bearman to drivers like Alexander Albon, who’s performing better, scoring more points, and even putting someone like Carlos Sainz under pressure. There’s rotation, or at least balance.”
The data from Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari
Stefano Nicoli, meanwhile, brought up some key figures comparing Kimi Antonelli’s and Lewis Hamilton’s seasons within their respective teams: “Antonelli has outqualified Russell three times out of twenty-one races. Hamilton has done it five times out of twenty-one against Leclerc. In races, Antonelli has finished ahead of Russell twice in twenty-one Grands Prix — in Mexico and Brazil. Hamilton has finished ahead of Leclerc three times in twenty-one races. One of those occasions was the missed swap in Azerbaijan when they got confused at the finish line.”
Nicoli then pointed out how close the two drivers’ results actually are: “These are numbers very similar to those of a rookie like Antonelli, who, despite being very talented, is still facing a top-level competitor like Russell. The comparison highlights just how much Lewis Hamilton has struggled to adapt in this first Ferrari season.”
Adding to this, Pino Allievi reminded listeners of another significant fact: “Hamilton has failed to reach Q3 seven times this year.” A statistic that underscores how challenging this season has been for the British driver, who arrived in Maranello with high expectations but has faced a string of disappointing results and difficult weekends.
While the raw data alone doesn’t tell the full story, it paints a picture of a complicated debut year for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. Between reliability issues, on-track incidents, and difficulties in qualifying, the British driver has yet to find the consistency that once made him unbeatable at Mercedes. Meanwhile, comparisons with rising stars like Andrea Kimi Antonelli only emphasize how competitive the current F1 grid has become — and how even the most experienced champions are struggling to adapt to new challenges.
With a few races still remaining this season, Lewis Hamilton will be looking to turn things around, not just to prove his worth within the team but also to show that, even at this stage of his career, he can still fight at the top level against both established rivals and the new generation of talent coming through the ranks.
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