Lewis Hamilton appears to have made the “right decision” by signing for Ferrari and could win an eighth Formula 1 world championship with the Italian team, according to former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner.
Hamilton stunned the game in the offseason by deciding to leave Mercedes after 12 years to sign for Ferrari in 2025.
Early signs imply that the move will increase the seven-time world champion’s chances of adding to his record of 103 race wins, with Ferrari vastly outperforming Mercedes in the first three races of the season.
Carlos Sainz, who Hamilton will update at Ferrari, led team-mate Charles Leclerc’s one-two finish at Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, while Mercedes suffered a double retirement, leaving them 68 points adrift of the Italian team in the constructors’ standings, with leader Red Bull. There are still 4 issues ahead.
“It looks like he’s making the right decision,” Steiner, an ambassador for the Miami Grand Prix in May, told Sky Sports News. “He did that when he left McLaren to move to Mercedes, so maybe he did that in this case as well. “.
“But I think it’s more of a new challenge for him. He’s been with the team for 11 years, has won six championships, and has a smart relationship there.
“I think it’s just the last step in his career where he needs to take on a new challenge. And obviously, as his latest challenge is Ferrari, it’s smart to have the opportunity to do that. “
Hamilton is aiming for a record eighth drivers’ title and Steiner believes an overhaul of F1’s existing regulations in 2026 could give him a chance to make history.
“I don’t think anything is impossible,” said Steiner, whose eight-year tenure at the helm of the Haas team ended last season.
“In 2026 there will be a totally new regulation in terms of engine and chassis, so it will be redone at that time.
“And if he’s a bit lucky and he’s in the right place, if Ferrari produces a smart car, it could be imaginable that he would win his eighth title. “
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen has been linked with a resolution to upgrade Hamilton at Mercedes amid uncertainty over his long career at Red Bull.
Verstappen is a heavy favourite to win his fourth consecutive drivers’ title this year, but with continued off-track turbulence at Red Bull following the conclusion of the investigation into team principal Christian Horner resulting in the dismissal of the complaint filed against the team. Primarily, speculation abounds as to whether Verstappen will succeed in a deal that will reportedly last until the end of 2028.
There were explosive comments about Horner via Max’s father, Jos, at the Bahrain GP, ahead of speculation at the Saudi Arabian GP about the team’s long history of Helmut Marko, the motorsport adviser with whom the Verstappens are long-time close.
However, the atmosphere has become noticeably calmer around Red Bull in Melbourne, with the team’s off-track issues largely out of the headlines.
“I think lately what’s going on there has calmed down,” Steiner said. “So I think terminating the contract wouldn’t be easy for him. We don’t have any details about the contract yet. I think they’re a smart team as well. “to drive at this time.
“For Max’s sake, he likes the car there, he loves the team, so if there’s nothing bothering him publicly, I think he doesn’t need to move. He has won so much with this team, the team gave him “the opportunity at the beginning to get into F1, so I think if they re-establish the personal relationship, he will stay. “
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has said he would “love” to secure Verstappen’s services, with Steiner seeing the Brackley-based team as the most likely destination for the Dutchman.
“I think everyone in Formula 1 is interested in Max Verstappen at the moment,” Steiner added. “It’s more about where it’s going to go.
“It could just be Mercedes, who obviously have a loose seat, with Lewis moving to Ferrari. Aston Martin is also a possibility, but I think if Max is happening somewhere, I guess he would pass Mercedes. “
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