Damon Hill Warns: Ferrari is Falling for the "Glory Run" Trap Again

Former World Champion Damon Hill has issued a stern warning regarding Ferrari’s impressive pace during the winter testing period. The 1996 title holder believes the Scuderia is repeating a historic mistake: performing "glory runs" on low fuel to top the timesheets, creating a false sense of security that evaporates the moment the real racing begins. Hill argues that this approach has contributed to Ferrari's agonizingly long title drought, which stretches back to the constructors' championship in 2008.

The Illusion of Winter Speed

Hill, who often topped testing timesheets during his own career with Williams and Jordan, knows better than most that winter testing can be a deceptive game. "Those test results are mainly about who is fastest on paper, but that is often not correct," he explained on The Race podcast. He warned fans not to attach too much value to the lap times seen in Barcelona or Bahrain, as fuel loads and engine modes can drastically skew the picture.

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"You sometimes see teams suddenly at the top that you totally didn't expect," Hill noted. The reality is often hidden behind fuel weights and specific testing programs that obscure the true pecking order until Saturday afternoon at the first Grand Prix.

Pressure to Perform

According to Hill, Ferrari feels a unique pressure to show speed immediately, often to appease sponsors, media, and the demanding Italian fanbase. "That whole idea is completely pointless. You only embarrass yourself if the season starts and your speed is disappointing," he stated bluntly.

He contrasted Ferrari’s approach with that of Red Bull, a team known for "sandbagging" or deliberately hiding their true potential until it matters most. Hill’s analysis suggests that while seeing a Ferrari at the top of the timing screens generates positive headlines in February, it often leads to heartbreak in March when the points are actually on the table.