Lewis Hamilton could end his Formula 1 career at Ferrari if Mercedes cannot deliver him a race-winning car, according to former F1 grand prix winner Johnny Herbert.
Hamilton has been publicly frustrated with the pace of this year’s Mercedes and, despite an improved drive to second at the Australian Grand Prix, admitted Max Verstappen and Red Bull were still streets ahead.
Hamilton has said he is not looking elsewhere on the grid as he plots his eighth world title but Herbert has stated that the 38-year-old may yet turn his attention to Ferrari.
“I suppose it’s down to what happens at Mercedes,” Herbert told Standard Sport. “Can they turn it around? If that doesn’t work and Lewis still has the fire in his belly and thinks this is not the place for him where does he go?
“Would he go to Ferrari? Does he want to go there as he feels that’s where he gets a championship? Would he feel he could take his energy and people from Mercedes there like Michael Schumacher did and actually change and steer it in a positive way? The problem with that is time.”
Herbert has recently launched a new podcast with Billy Monger called Lift the Lid, offering their insights into F1 twice weekly.
The pair became close friends after Herbert, who himself survived a horror crash early in his driving career, visited Monger in hospital after he had had his legs amputated following his high-speed accident.
Both believe Hamilton has both the speed and desire to seal a record eighth world title.
But Herbert said the younger drivers on the grid were closing the gap to Hamilton in part aided by their sim racing, of which the Briton has never been a big fan.
“The biggest difference now is that the majority of the young generation of great drivers on the grid have something that Lewis has never been comfortable with and want to put all their energies in, which is the sim stuff,” said Herbert. “It adds a sixth sense”.
George Russell has, for the most part, got the better of his more experienced teammate since his arrival at Mercedes and marked himself out as a future world champion.
“George has been able to challenge him and put him under a lot of pressure,” said Herbert. “George is going to be tough for Max Verstappen when he gets the right car. I think Lando Norris is the same given the right car.”
