Jeremy Clarkson rips into Lewis Hamilton for antics at Ferrari – ‘What is Lewis now?’
Jeremy Clarkson has launched a scathing attack on Lewis Hamilton, questioning the seven-time world champion’s priorities during his first appearance at Ferrari’s headquarters.
The former Top Gear presenter criticised Hamilton’s theatrical entrance at Maranello, where the British driver participated in a private test at the Fiorano circuit.
Writing in The Sun, Clarkson posed the pointed question: “What is Lewis now? A driver? Or a superstar?”
The outspoken broadcaster took issue with Hamilton’s media-focused approach, suggesting the Formula 1 star was more concerned with photo opportunities than getting to grips with his new car.
Hamilton arrived at Ferrari’s headquarters in an SUV wearing a suit and tie, posing for pictures under the watchful eye of a video drone.
The British driver spent time meeting fans before taking a tour of the team’s facilities, where he was greeted with applause from Ferrari engineers.
He later completed 30 laps in a three-year-old Ferrari at the Fiorano circuit, with hundreds of fans watching from trackside.
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Clarkson noted that Hamilton’s new residence in Milan is far from the team’s base, with the driver opting to commute via a Fiat helicopter rather than a Ferrari road car.
The 64-year-old also suggested Hamilton’s priorities were misplaced on his first day at Ferrari.
“If he’s so keen on that eighth world title, you’d imagine that he’d have arrived at the factory on day one, keen to know the car’s secrets,” Clarkson wrote.
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Instead, the former Top Gear host noted Hamilton’s focus on publicity, describing “fawning engineers and the applause” captured in slow motion.
The theatrical nature of Hamilton’s arrival appeared to particularly irk Clarkson, who highlighted the orchestrated photo opportunities and drone footage of the event.
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Clarkson predicted Hamilton would face significant challenges against teammate Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.
“He’ll have his work cut out to beat his team-mate Charles Leclerc, who speaks Italian, knows the team, doesn’t spend quite so long posing for pictures,” wrote Clarkson.
The broadcaster highlighted Leclerc’s reputation as “the fastest driver of them all” in single-lap performance.
Clarkson also speculated about Hamilton’s true motivations for joining Ferrari, suggesting: “Maybe he signed for Ferrari for a different reason, he knows he’s past his prime now and he didn’t want to retire having never driven for motorsport’s crown jewel.”