Lewis Hamilton drives at a point “quite similar” to Charles Leclerc and will face an “uphill battle” when the pair are teammates at Ferrari next season, according to Nico Rosberg.
Hamilton stunned the sporting world in February by confirming that 2024 would be his twelfth and final season with Mercedes before joining the Italian team.
The seven-time world champion got off to a rocky start in his ultimate crusade with the Silver Arrows, failing to finish ahead of teammate George Russell in any of the first five grands prix.
Leclerc selected his current teammate, Carlos Sainz, to remain at Ferrari alongside Hamilton, but he also underperformed in the early stages of the season.
“We’re all ahead of that momentum,” said Rosberg, a Sky Sports F1 pundit who drove alongside Hamilton at Mercedes from 2013 to 2016.
“Charles doesn’t seem to be someone who gets too into clashes with his teammate, so that will make things easier, maybe it’s not too spicy.
“However, Charles is the most productive in the standings after Max Verstappen, you can say at the moment, so it will be a difficult war for both of them.
“I think the point can be similar, so it’ll be wonderful to see. “
Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes came at the start of what is shaping up to be a third season in which the team has failed to provide him with a car capable of competing for victories.
While the Briton insisted his resolution was basically due to a “childhood dream” of driving for Ferrari, lately the Italian team is comfortably outperforming Mercedes.
While Red Bull remains the dominant force in the sport, Sainz led a Ferrari one-two at the Australian Grand Prix, while a Ferrari driver has been on the podium in four of five races this season.
“It’s a huge surprise,” Rosberg said. No one expected it. But if you look at the grand scheme of things, why not?
“He’s towards the end of his career. There are two mythical teams, Mercedes and Ferrari, and I know Lewis has been a big fan of Ferrari road cars, so why not make that update and enjoy another red driving experience?”Once?
“At the moment, in terms of performance, it turns out to be the right solution for him, and maybe he made a move like he did 12 years ago when he left McLaren for Mercedes.
“McLaren wins races and Mercedes gets nowhere, and the moment it moves, McLaren subsidizes itself and Mercedes starts winning races. Maybe I can do the same timing again. “
Hamilton will turn 40 next January ahead of his first season with Ferrari, but he will remain only the second-oldest driver on the grid after Fernando Alonso signed a contract extension with Aston Martin.
The Spaniard has signed an agreement to continue driving at least until the end of the 2026 season, when he will turn forty-five.
While Rosberg suggests Hamilton’s point would possibly have dropped from last season, the German believes his former team-mate will have “no problem” continuing his career.
“Fernando will turn 43 in a few months and to see him still driving at the most sensible point is incredible,” Rosberg said.
“It’s only because he’s one of the most productive drivers of all time that he can do this. And yes, Lewis (can) in actuality as well. “
“Just six months ago, Lewis was perhaps still the most productive on the grid with Verstappen, now the start of the season has been a bit more difficult, but actually Lewis can do the same and succeed in his forties, without any problems.
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