Piquet Jr asserts that Hamilton is now unmistakably Ferrari's second driver.

      Former Formula 1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. believes that Lewis Hamilton has clearly taken on a supporting role at Ferrari, placed behind Charles Leclerc. These remarks come as scrutiny towards Hamilton's performance increases following a challenging weekend in Miami, where Leclerc significantly outperformed his seven-time world champion teammate. "Are they equal in status? No," Piquet Jr. stated on the Pelas Pistas podcast. "Leclerc is number 1, Hamilton is number 2. Currently, he’s in second place, and Leclerc is ahead of him 80 percent of the time."

      Piquet Jr. mentioned that Ferrari doesn't need to manage any internal rankings since the hierarchy is evident on the track. "The team doesn’t have to worry about that because Leclerc is already leading," he said. "He typically qualifies and finishes better. Since last year, he’s been the one in charge."

      The son of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet further remarked that Hamilton's challenges aren't entirely unexpected given his stage in career. "Last year, he won convincingly, and this year Hamilton has narrowed the gap a bit," he noted. "But Hamilton has been in Formula 1 for 20 years, and this marks the end of his career, which is natural."

      Hamilton's future in the sport has become an increasingly discussed topic in the paddock, with Ralf Schumacher suggesting that both Hamilton and Fernando Alonso should retire at the season's end to create opportunities for younger drivers. Meanwhile, former Ferrari engineering chief Aldo Costa has given some notably candid criticism of Alonso's stint at Maranello. "I must say honestly that I didn’t get along well with him," Costa stated on the Terruzzi Racconta podcast. He believes that Alonso’s personality led to significant internal friction. "If he had focused solely on driving and advancing development, he would have been perfect," he remarked. "He probably could have won seven or eight championships as well."

      "In reality, he goes beyond that and tries to involve himself in selecting team members, manipulating the team from an organizational standpoint. And that’s where conflicts arise." Costa suggested that Alonso's political maneuvering has been a consistent aspect of his career. "I’m afraid it’s part of his character," he explained. "Despite his immense talent, no one really enjoyed having him around." The seasoned Italian disclosed that Alonso faced strong internal opposition when Mercedes was contemplating a driver change. "During discussions at Mercedes—among Rosberg, Bottas, 'should we bring Alonso in?'—there was a chain reaction, starting from Dr. Zetsche, Hamilton, myself... everyone said: no, no, no."