Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan, never one to shy away from a strong opinion, has performed a spectacular about-face regarding Ferrari’s decision to swap Carlos Sainz for Lewis Hamilton.
Initially a staunch critic of the Italian outfit’s choice, even suggesting Ferrari chairman John Elkann “must have rocks in his head,” Jordan now believes the move was a stroke of genius.
His change of heart? A combination of Hamilton’s undeniable “box office” appeal and a certain stylish photograph.
The Power of an Iconic Photo
Jordan’s initial reservations about Hamilton’s suitability for Ferrari were in part rooted in the seven-time world champion’s comments about not feeling “fast anymore” during the 2024 season.
But Hamilton’s recent foray into Ferrari life, which included a moment upon his arrival in Maranello last month when the Briton struck a formal pose in the courtyard, wearing a vintage black pin-stripe suit and a black double-breasted overcoat.
The vibe immortalized by the widely circulated photograph completely changed Jordan’s perspective.
“What I thought was unbelievably eye-catching, that photograph of Lewis Hamilton in that coat. It just depicts why I think Ferrari went for him. He’s box office, absolutely,” Jordan gushed on the Formula For Success podcast hosted by his good friend David Coulthard.
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“And please check, I think you will find there’s close to six million likes about the way he looked, and his appearance.
“It’s a very stylish photograph. And it’ll be iconic. That photograph will be used for many, many, many, many years to come.”
Ferrari’s decision wasn’t just about race pace – it was about marketing magic. Even Hamilton’s recent off-track moment in a Ferrari test, where he managed to introduce the SF-23 to some Barcelona gravel, didn’t dampen Jordan’s enthusiasm.
©Ferrari
“We hear recently about the crash, which is unfortunate, because I also saw the photograph of the many, many, many thousands of the tifosi that turned up to take photographs, wish him well, just on a little reconnaissance trip with the car, so you can imagine what it’s going to be like on grand prix day,” he added.
“I think he will be a huge draw. I think he’s not just box office for Formula 1, I think he’s box office everywhere, particularly in the Americas, in Asia, we know about Europe.
“I’m totally warm to the idea that Ferrari, for all sorts of reasons, particularly commercial, made the right decision.”
Coulthard’s Reality Check: ‘This Isn’t a Personality Championship’
While Jordan was waxing lyrical about Hamilton’s global appeal, Coulthard wasn’t about to let things slide without a reality check.
“This isn’t a personality or a column inches World Championship,” the Scot quipped. “It’s a points World Championship.”
With Hamilton coming off a tough final season at Mercedes, Coulthard acknowledged the concerns around his form.
“A lot of people [are] concerned about how his final year at Mercedes went.
“It can’t just be that he was feeling a little bit that: ‘This car doesn’t quite suit me, and my mind’s already taken a step off to Ferrari.’ He’s a natural-born winner.”
Jordan’s Praise for Russell: ‘He Grabbed That Car by the Horns’
Rather than argue with Coulthard, Jordan pivoted to heap praise on George Russell for making the most of a tricky Mercedes W15 – something he suggested Hamilton wasn’t willing to do.
“David, love what you say, very difficult to disagree with any of it, but at the end of the day, George Russell grabbed that car by the horns,” Jordan said.
“And he made it do different things to what Lewis was. Now, Lewis is possibly… he’s been driving since he’s been five, seven or eight years of age, so he’s not going to drive something that’s not up to his liking.”
Hamilton himself, according to Jordan, had admitted to feeling disconnected from the car, telling Toto Wolff and his long-time race engineer Peter Bonnington that something was “seriously wrong” with the back end.
“He just didn’t feel that the car was giving him the confidence to push to the level that he needed to do to get pole positions and race wins,” Jordan explained.
“Having said that, George absolutely demolished him in qualifying, and to some extent in the races as well. So well done George Russell. He has a big future. We’re desperately keen to see how he gets on next year [2025].”
With Russell now leading Mercedes alongside rookie sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Hamilton set to form a superstar pairing with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, the stage is set for an epic 2025 season.
If Jordan’s latest stance is anything to go by, Ferrari’s decision might just pay off in more ways than one—both on the track and in the fashion world.
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