05/10/2021
NEWS STORY
As Lewis Hamilton says it is "crazy" that he never drove for Ferrari, former team boss, Stefano Domenicali reveals that there were discussions.
Over the course of his 15 seasons in F1, Lewis Hamilton has only driven for two teams, McLaren and Mercedes, with the German manufacturer providing the engine the Briton used for each of his 100 Grand Prix victories.
Despite his obvious dedication to the Three Pointed Star, from time to time the British media speculates that the Stevenage Rocket is actually desperate to drive for Ferrari, even though the legendary Italian marque has seen a number of drivers careers founder.
Speaking recently, Hamilton admitted that he finds it "crazy" that he has never driven for the Italian team.
Admitting that into his late 30s, he often finds himself thinking about retirement, he told Sky Sports: "There's definitely plenty of times I've had over the last four or five years where I've been like, I don't know if I want to keep giving or sacrificing the training and my personal life. There's other things that I'd like to do, normal stuff I want to do... but on the other side I'm like, wow, I'm so fortunate that I get to do this job.
"In the bigger scheme of things, it's a little of your life," he added. "There's a long, long time retired. So I'm trying to find the right balance. If I'm still hungry, if I can still train myself as I did as a kid, which I do now, and still achieve great results... then great.
"It's definitely going to be crazy to think that I never drove for Ferrari," he admitted. "Of course I look at the colour and the red, it's just... it's still the red.
I have a couple of Ferraris at home, so I do get to drive a Ferrari, just not the one!
"For everyone that's a dream position to be in. It was just never really fully on the cards for me. I'll never fully know why, but I wish them all the best and I'm going to spend the next bit of my time stopping them from winning the championship!"
However, without giving too much away, former Ferrari team boss, and now head at F1, Stefano Domenicali has admitted that discussions were held.
Asked if talks were ever held, the Italian admitted: "To be honest, yes," he told Sky Sports. "This is true. We've discussed that.
"I think that the answer that Lewis was able to give is the right one," he added. "Today, I think that period has passed.
"There is a movie that for me sometimes is very important to remember, Sliding Doors... there are moments where if you don't get into an elevator, you stay on the floor.
"I don't know. That was the situation that Lewis lived in that specific time of his life. I think that we cannot blame his choice, at least, because he did an incredible career."