Did Ferrari make the wrong big-name signing in Hamilton instead of Newey?
Adrian Newey and Lewis Hamilton
Riccardo Patrese has weighed in on whether Ferrari made the right big-name signing last year as the team secured Lewis Hamilton’s services but missed out on Adrian Newey.
Last year, Hamilton shocked the world of motorsport when he announced he would be leaving Mercedes after 12 years with the Silver Arrows to join Ferrari.
‘I struggle to be optimistic for the Prancing Horse’s 2026’
The Briton wasn’t the only big name in Formula 1 that Ferrari pursued, as the team also made a play for design legend Newey.
Red Bull announced in May that Newey would leave the team after almost two decades, the Briton signing off with one last Drivers’ Championship title for Max Verstappen.
Ferrari had been considered strong favourites to sign Newey amidst rumours of meetings in airports only for the talks to fall apart with Newey going on to sign with Aston Martin, taking on the new role of Managing Technical Partner. He’s subsequently been named Aston Martin’s team principal for the 2026 season.
Ferrari, though, still had Hamilton. That, however, wasn’t the success story in F1 2025 that the team and driver had hoped for.
Hamilton struggled to get up to speed in the SF-25 and recorded his first season in 19 years on the grid without a single podium result.
It begs the question, would Ferrari be better off with Newey instead of Hamilton?
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That was put to Riccardo Patrese by Italian journalist Leo Turrini, but the 71-year-old sidestepped the question.
He replied: “For Newey, only he and the top management of Maranello know how things went in terms of negotiations.
“But I insist, Ferrari needs a point of reference in terms of technology.”
It also needs an “important technical leader”, someone like former technical director Ross Brawn, or even former McLaren man Andrea Stella.
“Exactly, such a character,” Patrese said of Brawn. “Andrea Stella became one with McLaren and for McLaren.”
“Honestly, I struggle to be optimistic for the Prancing Horse’s 2026,” he added. “Ferrari is coming off a disappointing season.
“I don’t want to be rude, of course. But we come from a championship in which there were obvious gaps in the management of the Scuderia.”
Pressed on whether the blame lay with team boss Fred Vasseur, the Italian said: “No, in the sense that I would prefer to avoid customisations.
“For sure the Frenchman is now playing everything, he has been there since January 2023, he has had time to build. In general, Fred has so far seemed to me not very reactive in the face of difficulties.
“In Formula One, as in any top company, it is essential to create a close-knit working group. This is the task that a team principal must perform. After that, there’s more.”
Returning to Hamilton, Patrese was asked if it is “over” for the seven-time World Champion after his difficult 2025 season.
“But for heaven’s sake!” was the adamant reply.
Put to him that the Briton had been “really slow” this past year, Patrese hit back: “Yes, but what car did you have available?”
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