For weeks, we are hearing about speculations of Ferrari president John Elkann making a proposal for Lewis Hamilton. The Briton is yet to sign a contract extension with Mercedes. This has motivated the Ferrari president to make an offer to the seven-time world champion and match his $50 million salary. However, ever since Elkann’s desire has become public, there has been a lot of criticism toward this idea of seeing the Briton drive alongside Charles Leclerc or in his place. In this article, we will talk about former F1 driver Riccardo Patrese‘s alternate suggestion.

The Italian also came across the rumors of Ferrari, showcasing a desire to sign the coveted British driver. Patrese matched the opinion of the fans while divulging his opinion on the matter. In his conversation with Quotidiano Nazionale, as quoted by Formula Passion, the former driver for the Reds also gave an alternate investment idea.

Ferrari urged to pursue Red Bull’s mastermind

Riccardo Patrese, who in 1990, became the first F1 driver to achieve 2oo Grand Prix starts, said, “Hamilton? In Ferrari? I would not take it,” he started. “Not for him. He’s still a champion. But the redhead doesn’t need a top driver, but a top car. I, like all the fans, am very disappointed with Ferrari’s performance. Compared to 2022 they went backwards.”

Patrese added, “Lewis is great. He is a winner. A driver no longer influences the development of the car. If they have all that money to spend in Maranello, let them rather spend it on Adrian Newey, because the car counts more than the driver.” (Translated by Google)

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The Brit might be second to none in terms of championships on the track. However, even his greatness does not compare to that of Red Bull’s most prices possession Adrian Newey. The British engineer, not the driver, is exactly where the Maranello outfit should invest their million according to Patrese.

However, what does Hamilton want?

Lewis Hamilton breaks silence on his potential linkup with Charles Leclerc and Co.

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding the Brit’s future. Many believe he will retire from the sport, whereas some believe he will continue with a different outfit. However, what does Lewis Hamilton have to say about this all?

“Mercedes has supported me since I was 13 years old. We had a tough year in 2022 and I’m still here. Regardless of how we do this season, I’m going to stay with the team,” said Hamilton. “We have to look at all the weak points and huddle together as a team. Last year we didn’t do well, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have chances to improve from now on,” he added.

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Despite the rumors, the Brit is clearly committed to the team. However, if the massive upgrades don’t work as promised and fail to take him closer to the vastly superior Red Bull, will Hamilton still want to stick around? It will, after all, put his eighth championship at stake.