F1 News: Washed up Hamilton unlikely to win eighth title
(GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of an eighth world championship are slipping away. That’s the view of former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, after a disappointing first third of the 2025 season for 40-year-old Hamilton following his switch from Mercedes to Ferrari.
Bild newspaper told Coulthard that Hamilton appears to have “gambled and lost” with his move to Maranello.
“I always felt that Lewis had developed a special relationship and loyalty with Mercedes,” the Scot told the German publication. “So I was totally confused when I heard about his move.
“It was a bit like Michael (Schumacher) returning to Formula 1 with Mercedes, even though he had built such a legacy at Ferrari. But ultimately, this is Lewis’s journey, his story, his book that he’s writing.
“Maybe he’ll win a grand prix, maybe he’ll win a championship – or maybe not.”
When asked if he personally thinks Hamilton will retire as an eight-time world champion, Coulthard admitted: “No, it doesn’t look like it.
“He certainly imagined something different to how it’s been so far.”
“After Hamilton’s teammate George Russell beat him like a drum last year, and with Charles Leclerc performing a similar beating this year, it’s clear Hamilton’s better days are behind him. He also no longer has the 50hp Mercedes advantage that propelled him to so many victories.” –AutoRacing1
However, although he was particularly downbeat after the recent Spanish GP, Hamilton insists he is still trying everything he can to improve his Ferrari car.
“We have a fantastic simulator at Maranello,” the British driver told Sky Italia, “but since I arrived, I’ve suggested pages and pages of things I thought needed improvement.
“And we’re working on it. We’re constantly working to improve, and the guys have already made jumps.”
Coulthard, however, is not the only experienced expert who is pessimistic about Hamilton’s chances of success in red. Many point the finger at Frederic Vasseur, believing the Frenchman’s days at Ferrari may also be limited.
Vasseur admitted to La Stampa that McLaren appear out of reach in 2025.
“We want to continue to close the gap to McLaren in small steps,” he said. “I don’t know if we will win in one, two, three months. I can’t make promises to the fans other than that we will give 200 percent, pushing like crazy, even if the others won’t sleep.”
As for his position at the top of the fabled Ferrari team, Vasseur seems relaxed.
“I just turned 57,” he said. “There is no bigger or more rewarding challenge on the grid than being the team principal of Ferrari. At the same time there is probably no more exposed position than mine, but I love working with the team and the drivers, and we have a great team spirit.”
Hamilton, though, said in Barcelona that the team should already be considering shifting every resource towards the all-new 2026 car project.
Vasseur admits: “We will start from scratch. It is exciting for everyone.
“It will be a completely new challenge – I don’t remember anything like it in F1. And it is impossible to have any reference for it compared to the others.”
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“Hamilton is a certain age. Ferrari took him when he was at the end of his career. The ideal would have been to be able to have it a few years earlier,” former Ferrari F1 boss Mattia Binotto said.
Reacting to the statement, a fan wrote, “Ferrari just wanted to sell merch that’s all. Look at em’ now tho, was it worth it? I doubt it. They look like idiots now.”
“For the limited time left he is a great money maker for Ferrari, but not an upgrade on track,” another fan wrote.
A fan wrote, “As I said when he joined Ferrari. Why Ferrari sacrificed Sainz for a finished driver?”
“Jeez. Everyone hating on Lewis. Alonso is being out scored by Stroll and not a peep from anyone,” a fan wrote.
“Lewis, who is supposedly at the end of his career, and Charles, who is apparently at his peak, are right next to each other in the championship standings. Bottom line. Mattia ran Ferrari to the ground, and people just want headlines,” wrote a fan.