Lewis Hamilton Joins Ferrari Amid Mixed F1 Reactions

Lewis Hamilton's move from Mercedes to Ferrari ahead of the 2024 season has been met with confusion and criticism, as he struggles to match teammate Charles Leclerc's pace and has yet to secure a grand prix podium with Ferrari. Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto criticized Ferrari's decision to sign Hamilton at 40, suggesting the team should have brought him in earlier, while Hamilton himself has expressed self-doubt about his performance. Additionally, Hamilton's comments calling the new FIA flexi-wing regulations a "waste of money" have been strongly refuted by former Haas boss Guenther Steiner, who explained that compliance was inexpensive and that McLaren's continued dominance disproves Hamilton's claims. Steiner emphasized that McLaren's technical expertise allowed them to maintain performance despite regulatory changes, highlighting that the flexi-wing directive had minimal impact on competitiveness across teams. This season has thus been challenging for Hamilton both on and off the track, as he faces adaptation issues at Ferrari and criticism over his views on F1 technical regulations.