Angela Cullen’s F1 return analysed as Lewis Hamilton “comfort zone” point made

Ex-F1 driver Martin Brundle believes the main factor behind Angela Cullen’s shock return is to support Lewis Hamilton outside “the comfort zone of Mercedes”.

Hamilton embarks on his new journey with Ferrari in 2025 after making the shock switch from Mercedes.

The seven-time world champion has already tested for his new team, taking to the track in Ferrari’s 2023 F1 challenger on Wednesday.

Hamilton’s Ferrari’s senior management, his parents, and Cullen watched Hamilton’s on-track debut at Fiorano.

Before a shock decision to part ways, Cullen was Hamilton’s physiotherapist at Mercedes between 2016 and 2023.

The Kiwi teased a possible reunion with Hamilton over the winter break during a skiing trip, with her return officially confirmed earlier this week.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Brundle feels that working with Cullen again will be necessary for Hamilton to settle in quickly at Ferrari, given that it’s a new team environment in a different country.

“A bit of a challenge though because it’s a different language, perhaps, to understand where all the green buttons are in a team,” Brundle said.

“He’s left behind Bono, his famous engineer, and the comfort zone of Mercedes. It won’t be that easy. That’s why he’s parachuted Angela Cullen and his manager Mark Hynes to get a team around him.

“Some big challenges. There are some big challenges, his teammate Charles Leclerc has been there seven years effectively and knows exactly where the buttons are, and who does what, and makes things happen.

“Lewis will have to face that. Leclerc is incredibly fast. But I have no doubt that if Ferrari have a race-winning car or a championship-winning car then Lewis can win races and even the championship.”

Lewis Hamilton wants to prove the doubters wrong

Hamilton joins Ferrari on the back of his worst year in F1.

While he did take two wins during his final year at Mercedes, Hamilton was out-performed by teammate George Russell comprehensively.

Hamilton’s struggles in qualifying during 2024 made him question whether he still has the speed.

Brundle feels that Hamilton will be “full of energy” to prove to people that he’s not “over the hill”.

“Already, two of the biggest names in the 75-year-old history of F1. Two of the biggest names in the 75-year history of Formula 1, some might say the biggest names in Ferrari and Hamilton getting together,” Brundle explained.

“Lewis Hamilton dressed all in the scarlet of the prancing horse, an absolutely extraordinary story. The story, a gift that will keep giving for us at Sky F1.

“I think he will. He had all that time at McLaren and Mercedes, this is only Hamilton’s third team in Formula 1, and he will want to go there and show that, despite just turning 40, he’s not over the hill like some people were saying last year, and he will want to show he has made the right decision again. I think he will go there full of energy.”