Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari has been praised as “better than Netflix” by a key rival of the seven-time world champion.
Lewis Hamilton’s dramatic switch from Mercedes to Ferrari, according to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, will have a greater influence on the sport than the F1 documentary “Drive to Survive” on Netflix.
The announcement of Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula One season came earlier this month, and it is thought to be the largest driver transfer in the history of the sport.
With this change, Hamilton will compete in an F1 race for the first time outside of the Mercedes stable.
In 2021, Hamilton faced off against Red Bull’s biggest contender for the championship, Max Verstappen, and the match ended in a thrilling showdown.
Red Bull has been on an unstoppable roll since the beginning of the ground effect era, and Hamilton and Mercedes haven’t posed much of a danger in recent seasons.
Marko weighs in on Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari starting in the upcoming season, saying it will only “weaken” Mercedes.
“I was totally unprepared for that, especially the timing,” Marko admitted to the Austrian newspaper oe24. “Even so, it’s a sensation in sports.
“You’re left wondering how it occurred. During the second half of the 2023 season, McLaren outperformed Mercedes. Ferrari also passed Mercedes. Maybe Hamilton has discovered something that the whole public is still unaware of.
“I do think it weakens Mercedes, but it doesn’t change anything for us. It’s also unclear if it makes Ferrari more powerful. All in all, it has a phenomenal impact, even on share prices. That something is taking place is fantastic.
Drive to Survive, a Netflix F1 documentary, has been acknowledged as a major factor in the sport’s explosive growth over the past five years.
Marko believes that the sport will gain more from Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari.
“Normally in such a situation you already think more about the new team,” Marko said.
“He can no longer be involved in significant advancements to the car with the current Mercedes team, as he would undoubtedly take his innovations with him to Ferrari.” It’s better than Netflix for the sport.