Lewis Hamilton missing a figure of Niki Lauda's ilk at Ferrari, according to insider

A Ferrari insider feels Lewis Hamilton is missing a figure of Niki Lauda's ilk at the Italian team, something he had at Mercedes, which made his communication to the team less fractious.

When the 7x F1 champion joined the German squad in 2013, the driver had the Austrian as one of the senior members within the team who helped make things a lot more seamless.

When Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari, there was a lot of anticipation around the driver, with questions as well over how he was going to fare at the Italian team. This was a partnership featuring the most successful driver and team in F1.

The start to life has not been great, as Lewis Hamilton has struggled to be on the pace of Charles Leclerc, his Ferrari teammate. At the same time, the Italian team has fumbled a bit as the team fell back in the pecking order.

There have also been reports of Lewis Hamilton's feedback not being taken well back at the team. The former Ferrari man, Francesco Cigarini, feels that a lot of it comes down to the British driver not having a figure like Niki Lauda that he had at Mercedes.

Lauda was often looked at and considered a mentor within the German team and hence played a significant role in helping Hamilton through the process of assimilation within the team. Talking to Formula.it, Cigarini talked about the 7x champion and how he might be missing someone like Lauda at the moment. He said,

“If you’re part of the team, you understand the dynamics that might help you understand why he says that. From the outside, I can say that he demands a lot from himself and from those around him."

He added,

"I posted something [on Instagram] a little while ago because I was thinking about this situation and it occurred to me that one thing that worked very well for Hamilton [at Mercedes] – and which doesn’t exist at Ferrari – is Niki Lauda: someone who acts as a link between the team and the driver, conveying what Hamilton wants in a slightly less blunt manner."

Lewis Hamilton would still need a good car at Ferrari

There are many who have opined that Lewis Hamilton's struggles are partly a result of the driver being unable to adapt to the ground-effect cars. With the sport doing away with the car concept, there has been a thought that it would help Hamilton. Cigarini felt that it could potentially be the case, but Ferrari would still need to build him a good car. He said,

“Every rule change is an opportunity for someone who hasn’t been able to seize it before. [Hamilton’s] experience and understanding of the new way of driving could help in some way, but he needs to have an efficient car.”

Lewis Hamilton will be hoping for a better run at the second half of the season that starts in Zandvoort, as the pressure would continue to mount if the gap to Charles Leclerc remains.