Hamilton calls on Ferrari to put full weight behind F1 title challenge: Strategic puzzle at Monza and unfinished title race

Monza, qualifying day. Lewis Hamilton almost got eliminated in Q2. He only saved himself with a final lap, ending up P5, behind Charles Leclerc. In the world of sports, all records start from a touch of the ball, and end with a number on the spreadsheet. But tonight, the No.44 Ferrari has no record, only a message to the engineering team: “Ferrari must put all its weight behind me.” The context is not just an ordinary qualifying session. Monza has always been the temple of speed, where low downforce and slipstream can change everything. I have followed dozens of qualifying sessions here, and I have never seen a top team let its main driver almost get eliminated in Q2 like Ferrari did today. Lewis Hamilton, a 7-time world champion, is 59 points behind the leader. Charles Leclerc, his teammate, is 87 points behind. With only 11 races remaining, Ferrari is mathematically still alive, but the competitive window is shrinking every lap. The problem starts with car performance. At Monza, Ferrari had no lap that was fast enough to fight for pole. Pierre Gasly, the Alpine driver, caused a surprise by taking pole. George Russell, who is tied on points with Hamilton – both at 59 points – was P2 before engine penalties were applied. Mercedes, in Hamilton's words, are “the leaders in speed”. Meanwhile, Ferrari's cars were just one position apart: Leclerc P4, Hamilton P5 before penalties were applied. That is a sign that the single-lap performance of the SF-25 on a high-speed track is lacking something. Hamilton did not hesitate to point to a suspect: tire pressure. He said: “If that's tire pressure, then we need to understand why Q2 fell away.” Having only one completed lap in the final part of Q2, along with both cars waiting in a queue, shows that the team did not keep its rhythm. In my analysis, this is not a problem with car concept, but rather a correlation issue between tires and temperature when they did their decisive lap. A top team cannot let its No.1 driver be eliminated in Q2 just because it didn't read the tire data signals. That is directly related to working processes, not lack of speed. On the strategy side, Ferrari applied an “equal tow” policy – allowing both drivers to alternate slipstream for each other. In theory, this helps maximize the team's points, but in practice, it collapsed completely. The plan was “push, cool, cool, push”, but in the end both cars got caught in the queue, because Charles didn't want to go out first. Result: both drivers only had one proper lap, and Hamilton nearly got eliminated. In a championship battle, timing and flexibility matter more than absolute fairness. If Ferrari had recognized the congestion earlier and split the cars, they could have secured at least one safe lap for Hamilton. But they let Leclerc's hesitation dictate. This story reveals an internal governance issue. Based on points, Hamilton is the more legitimate championship candidate. 59 points behind, compared to Leclerc's 87, he clearly has a greater chance. However, Hamilton's qualifying performance at Monza – almost being eliminated in Q2 – weakens his very request. A driver who cannot get through Q2 convincingly cannot call for the team to sacrifice everything for him. The engineering team might look at that and ask: why should we bet on you, while Leclerc is faster than you in qualifying? But I think the issue is not about choosing No.1 or No.2, but about a lack of decisiveness. Ferrari can choose Hamilton as the strategic center from now on, or continue to optimize team points. But they cannot do both at the same time. The pragmatism of a financial analyst like me looks at the points table: 59 points is a gap that cannot be closed if Mercedes still has superior speed. Russell is P2, tied on points with Hamilton. Antonelli, the leader, will start from P20 after an engine penalty, which is an opportunity for Hamilton and Leclerc to score points. But if Mercedes still has strong race pace, as Hamilton admitted, then losing points due to a qualifying error is unacceptable. I look at the bigger picture. Alpine with Gasly on pole is an interesting surprise, but Mercedes remains the benchmark. McLaren also has a driver in the top group. In such a competitive environment, every mistake costs. Ferrari has been praised for its upgrades, as Hamilton said they are doing an “amazing job”, but actual pace shows they are not yet ready for a direct battle. If the issue lies in development resource allocation, I would ask: how much is Ferrari prepared to spend to close the gap to Mercedes for the rest of the season? The answer is not in the press conference room, but in the pit lane and future updates. My view is: Ferrari should not rush to give Hamilton the No.1 status. They should look at data from both drivers to decide who brings the most points each race. But at the same time, they need to end the “fairness” policy – a costly concept in top-level sport. That is the blind spot of the management team. Leclerc's resistance to leading the queue shows that internal order is still unclear. If Hamilton is truly backed, Leclerc will have to accept being a supporting car. But Leclerc, a younger driver, who is faster in some qualifying sessions, is unlikely to stay silent. This is a ticking time bomb. There is a contrarian perspective here: Hamilton publicly calling for “full weight” could backfire. Instead of putting pressure on the team, he is exposing internal discord. In boardrooms, that can create resentment, especially with team principal Fred Vasseur – who is known for protecting Leclerc from their Sauber days. If I were a sports analyst rather than an emotional supporter, I would say that Hamilton needs to prove his value with on-track speed, not with words. Everything on the spreadsheet suggests Hamilton is still the better choice, but reality does not follow the spreadsheet. Looking back at history, Ferrari has lost championships many times because of internal fights between drivers. In 2026, the imbalance between Vettel and Leclerc cost them the chance to fight Mercedes. This year, the story could repeat. With 11 races to go, every decision is a season decision. Hamilton's call for “full weight” could be his final card. But if Ferrari really wants to make a bet, they must bet now. They cannot wait until the end of the year and then regret. We also need to look at another factor: Mercedes speed. Hamilton once said that Mercedes “continue to be the leaders in speed”. That means Ferrari is chasing from a lower position. In a race like Monza, where top speed is crucial, Mercedes is very strong. Antonelli starts from P20 due to an engine penalty, but with superior speed, he can move up quickly. If Ferrari does not capitalize on this opportunity, they could miss the last chance of the year. As someone who has followed many major sporting seasons, I know that pressure in a season is not just on the track. It lies in the ability to make split-second decisions. Tonight, Ferrari failed to make the right decision at the right time. This is a procedural failure, and it is exactly what Hamilton wants to change. In conclusion, I do not think Ferrari should give “all its weight” to Hamilton just because he has 59 points compared to Leclerc's 87. Yes, Hamilton is the better points opportunity, but that arrangement is not one-sided. Both drivers need to be treated based on data each race. If Hamilton is faster, let him lead; if Leclerc is faster, let him have priority. Mathematical fairness could cause the team to lose points in a few races, but fixed favoritism could cause a bigger rift. What Ferrari needs is not a No.1, but an effective decision-making system. Hamilton was right to speak up, but Ferrari's answer should not be “put all weight on Hamilton”, but rather “we will optimize the results of both cars”. And if they do that on the track, the championship might still be a number on the spreadsheet.