Aldo Costa discusses Hamilton's difficulties with Ferrari.

      "He must trust them completely."

      Former Mercedes engineering head Aldo Costa shared his perspective on the challenges Lewis Hamilton has faced during his initial season at Ferrari, amid ongoing discussions following John Elkann’s public suggestion for the seven-time world champion to "speak less."

      1996 world champion Damon Hill commented on the Stay On Track podcast that Elkann’s statement was "poorly judged." "Clearly, it hasn’t been a favorable season for them - the stock value increased when he announced he would join Ferrari, and now it has declined again," Hill remarked. "However, I believe it was poorly judged, as I don’t think it was beneficial."

      Ex-champion Jenson Button concurred that Ferrari's chairman should have approached the matter privately. "John only has two cars in the red garage," he stated to Sky. "It’s quite simple to locate your racing driver and have a conversation with him, saying, 'that’s not acceptable, that’s not how we function as a team' or ask 'why do you feel the need to send this and that to so-and-so?'"

      Costa, now the technical head at Dallara and a former key figure at both Ferrari and Mercedes, conveyed to Italy’s Formula Passion that Hamilton’s adjustment was always going to be tough. "Lewis Hamilton is a distinctly English driver. He’s only ever operated in England before," he expressed. "The initial months were particularly challenging for Lewis. He had to acclimate to new mechanics who were striving to improve speed."

      Costa noted that Hamilton excels when surrounded by a circle of trusted individuals. "He must have complete trust in them," the Italian said. "His race engineer, his technical director, his chief designer – he needs assurance that these people are collaborating with him and motivating him to succeed," he clarified. "He is a genuine team leader. If Lewis is not comfortable in that environment, his performance on the track will suffer."

      Costa also mentioned the presence of a well-established teammate, Charles Leclerc. "At Ferrari, he might encounter some challenges. He has a very quick teammate who has been with the team for years and is well-liked and respected," he noted. "When it comes to Hamilton, one must be very cautious. You have to gently guide him in the right direction."