Lewis Hamilton reckons Ferrari has the strongest line-up in 2014
Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari will replace Mercedes as the team with the strongest driver pairing in Formula 1 next year
Mercedes is the only team to have had both its drivers - Hamilton and Nico Rosberg - win a race this year.
But with Ferrari replacing Felipe Massa with Kimi Raikkonen, Hamilton thinks Mercedes' Italian rivals is set to deliver the best pairing.
"We want to beat them," said Hamilton when asked for his thoughts on Ferrari's decision to sign Raikkonen.
"This year we can beat them in the constructors' [championship] but at the end of the day it is going to be a stronger team.
"Kimi is driving sensationally well this year, so I assume he will do the same next year. Fernando is driving sensationally well.
"They talk about us having the strongest driver line-up, and now I think it has switched over to them."
Hamilton is intrigued by how the Raikkonen/Alonso partnership will work amid expectations of friction.
"I think it is great," he said. "You have two of the best drivers in one team at Ferrari. It is interesting to see the dynamics and how it will play out. I will sit back and watch...I am not going to say anything to add to any suggestions!"
Hamilton does think, however, that Alonso will probably deal with intra-team rivalries better than when he clashed with Hamilton at McLaren in 2007.
"I feel we have both grown and matured quite a lot," he said. "Our relationship, as you know, has improved quite a lot.
"I am sure he has had a great relationship with Felipe and I assume he will have the same with Kimi."
Previous article
F1 drivers welcome Turn 10 changes ahead of Singapore GP
Next article
Vettel says Ricciardo's F1 inexperience not a problem for Red Bull
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Lewis Hamilton |
| Teams | Ferrari |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
Starting Grid for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
F1 Fast Facts: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
How “overwhelming” McLaren move has given Ricciardo a new verve
Daniel Ricciardo has found a new lease of life at McLaren – a move that’s been years in the making, as he explains to STUART CODLING…
The German legend who raced and beat Nuvolari
Ninety years ago, Rudolf Caracciola became the first non-Italian to win the epic Mille Miglia. We look at how he stacks up to the most famous pre-war ace Tazio Nuvolari, one of the drivers he beat on that day in 1931
How 2021's midfielders have taken lessons from F1's top teams
Formula 1’s latest Imola adventure turned into an expensive trip for many teams due to several crashes throughout the weekend. While balancing the books is an added factor in 2021 with the cost cap, a few midfield teams have cashed in early on development investments
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Driver Ratings
A frantic wet race at Imola produced plenty of excitement and drama as drivers scrabbled for grip. Amid the hatful of mistakes and incidents that ensued, who kept their noses cleanest?
How the Emilia Romagna GP result hinged on three crucial saves
Rain before the start of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix promised to spice up the action, and the race certainly delivered on that. Max Verstappen got the best launch to win from Lewis Hamilton, but both got away with mistakes that could have had serious consequences
The back-bedroom world-beater that began a new F1 era
The first in a line of world beaters was designed in a back bedroom and then constructed in a shed. STUART CODLING recalls the Tyrrell 001
The clues Hamilton’s F1 contract afterthought gives to his future
The Formula 1 world reacted with surprise when it learned Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited new Mercedes deal guarantees his presence on the grid only until the end of 2021. Both parties claimed publicly they were happy with the arrangement but, asks MARK GALLAGHER, is there more to it than that?
How a harshly ejected Red Bull star has been hooked by racing again
Driver-turned-DJ Jaime Alguersuari lost his love for motorsport when he was booted out of Formula 1 just as he was starting to polish his rough edges. Having drifted from category to category then turned his back on racing altogether in 2015, he’s come full circle and is planning a return in karts for fun
