Lewis Hamilton's F1 future questioned as Max Verstappen named TOP Ferrari choice

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton — Photo: © IMAGO

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Hamilton future questioned as Verstappen named TOP Ferrari choice

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen battled for the championship in 2021

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 15 August 2024 08:27 Updated: 15:43

Max Verstappen has been named as Ferrari’s top choice ahead of Lewis Hamilton by a former racing driver.

The seven-time world champion will leave Mercedes to join the Prancing Horse next season, after a difficult period in F1.

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Hamilton suffered 56 races without a win, the longest streak of his career until he achieved a spectacular victory at Silverstone.

Whilst Mercedes’ improvement will come as a relief to the Brit, they have usurped his future team, who have not won a race since the Monaco Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton has secured two victories with Mercedes in his final season with the Silver Arrows

Ferrari's last win was at the Monaco Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc

Will Lewis Hamilton win an eighth world title with Ferrari?

If Hamilton were to win a title with Ferrari it would be a record-breaking eighth, a feat no other driver has managed.

However Dutch racing driver, Tom Coronel, doubts Hamilton can claim a title at the Scuderia, instead lauding Max Verstappen as Ferrari’s only chance.

“Lewis Hamilton is and remains a top driver, who could unexpectedly win a world title. And I would wish that for him with all my heart,” Coronel said to Formule1.nl via Autosprint.

“He recently won in Belgium and before that in Silverstone, for the ninth time. Everything went well, he did it.

“I can’t wait for Lewis to join Ferrari. I think it was a masterstroke by Ferrari to take him, but of course they would have preferred Max.”

Could Max Verstappen ever move to Ferrari?

“Ferrari can become world champion only with Max, they will not succeed with Hamilton,” he added.

“Hammer is the second choice, but the second is better than the third. You know that Hamilton is preparing to say goodbye, because after Ferrari he will retire.

“The red Ferrari is a forbidden dream for every driver, but you can bet that he will wake up sweaty a few times during the next year. Because he will be chasing Mercedes with his red Ferrari.”

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Monaco Grand Prix