Francesco Cigarini, a former Ferrari engineer now working as a physiotherapist in motorsport, believes that Lewis Hamilton lacks a unifying figure at Ferrari, akin to Niki Lauda during his time at Mercedes. According to Cigarini, such a role could be crucial in improving communication between the seven-time world champion and his engineers.
In a conversation with Formula1.it, Cigarini explains his view of the current situation at Ferrari: “I recently posted a message on Instagram, as I was reflecting on this situation. I noticed that Hamilton had something at Mercedes that is missing at Ferrari: a Niki Lauda. Someone who acts as a link between the team and the driver, and who can convey what Hamilton wants, but in a less direct way.”
‘Lubricant between team and driver’
Cigarini believes that this connecting role is important for Hamilton to thrive in his new environment: “You need someone who acts as a spokesperson and simultaneously serves as a lubricant between the entire team and the driver. That was exactly what Niki Lauda was good at, and it greatly helped Hamilton at Mercedes.”
Hamilton made the switch from Mercedes to Ferrari this season. While the Brit has collected seven world titles in his long career, his first season with the Scuderia has been inconsistent so far. The Italian Cigarini worked for many years at Ferrari and is known among motorsport fans for a severe accident in 2018 when he broke his leg during a pit stop.
