Former Champion Believes Lewis Hamilton 'Would Cement His Place In The History' Of F1 With Ferrari

Saajan Jogia | Aug 18, 2024

Jun 9, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (GBR) salutes the crowd during the drivers parade of the Canadien Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports / David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

Former Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve believes that Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari next season will place him in a position to fight for his eighth world championship title, thus cementing his spot in the history of the sport.

The potentially game-changing move was announced by the seven-time world champion in February, which shook the driver market to a great extent even before the season had officially begun. The major decision from Hamilton was initiated as a result of two winless seasons with Mercedes in the ground effect era.

The Brackley outfit's failure to provide him with a championship-winning car since 2022 motivated Hamilton to look elsewhere, and Ferrari, which was the only non-Red Bull team to have won a race in 2023, seemed like the most suitable option.

Additionally, having raced with both McLaren and Mercedes, many drivers consider it a dream to join the legendary Ferrari team at least once before retiring. Villeneuve, who won a championship with Williams in 1997, believes Hamilton's onboarding at Ferrari could create history in the coming years. He told Instant Casino:

"Lewis Hamilton can definitely win a championship at Ferrari.

"That team might have the last step that he’s missing at Mercedes to win him another title.

"At Ferrari, he will have the potential to drive how Max Verstappen does now, and it might boost his mental focus throughout a season as it’s a fresh challenge. It would cement his place in history."

At 39, Hamilton probably anticipated Mercedes' 2024 season would be as troubled as its 2023 campaign, given the struggles with the W14. Last year's issues, including persistent bouncing and a significant loss of pace, left Mercedes searching for solutions without resolving the root causes.

However, Mercedes seems to have unlocked the aerodynamic key to the W15's performance this year, starting with the Canadian GP, as it has managed to remain on the podium in all races since. George Russell won the race in Austria while Lewis Hamilton won the British and Belgian Grands Prix.

Ferrari, on the other hand, attempts to regain pace after a major upgrade package proved to have negative consequences in recent races. It is being speculated that with Mercedes' resurgence and Ferrari's struggles, Hamilton might be regretting his 2025 Ferrari move. However, Villeneuve revealed that both Mercedes and Hamilton were looking to part ways and that the separation was imminent. He added:

"No, Lewis Hamilton needed a change anyway.

"Both sides were waiting for an excuse to go their separate ways, without it being a fight."