Ickx: Hamilton’s Talent and Market Value Seal Ferrari Deal

Jacky Ickx highlights Hamilton’s superiority over Sainz while emphasizing Ferrari’s marketing-driven decision in F1’s multifaceted dynamics.

Ferrari replaced Carlos Sainz with Lewis Hamilton alongside Charles Leclerc, and the team has already seen proof of the off-track justification for this decision. The first photo of Hamilton in front of an F40 and Enzo Ferrari’s house garnered over 5 million likes on Instagram.

The photo where he appeared in his red racing suit for the first time achieved similar numbers. That single image reportedly generated a return on investment of around $500,000, thanks to the exposure for the various sponsors displayed on the suit.

Jacky Ickx is convinced the marketing aspect also played a role in replacing Sainz with Hamilton, and the 1970 World Championship runner-up believes it was a smart decision, even though the Spaniard performed well on the sporting side.

“Carlos Sainz did very well at Ferrari. Ferrari was tempted to sign Hamilton, probably for marketing reasons and possibly because Lewis wanted a new experience and to include Ferrari in his story. We’ll see,” Ickx told Mundo Deportivo.

“There’s nothing to criticize about Carlos at Ferrari. Carlos was successful, he won Grands Prix… but that’s in the past now. He must focus on what’s next. There are many important aspects in F1, not just politics. There’s also economics, marketing, but what matters is winning.”

Ickx even believes Ferrari is taking a sporting risk because their previous duo was effective: “The Leclerc-Sainz partnership worked. It worked because they both won races and were always very close to each other. I don’t know how it unfolded.”

“The only thing I can say is that it’s sad to see Sainz leave Ferrari, but you have to move forward and can’t constantly dwell on what could have happened and why it didn’t. You need to focus on what you have and make the most of it.”

However, the Belgian highlights that Hamilton’s influence extends far beyond his on-track achievements: “Lewis is a seven-time world champion, and the stars aligned for him. When he joined Mercedes, he returned to the top with a competitive car.”

“But don’t forget that Lewis is a personality: he holds all the records, and to me, he is twice as good—not just as a driver, but also as the first I’ve seen in motorsport to embrace social media.”

“He wasn’t afraid to do it and launched multiple initiatives for children. And he will do even more for Africa in the future, believe me. Do you see what I mean when I say there are many factors that matter in F1?”