Juan Pablo Montoya fears Lewis Hamilton could end up in the same ‘horrible mess’ as Fernando Alonso

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Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 future beyond 2026 has been called into question. Hamilton has repeatedly expressed his commitment to Ferrari, but a repeat of his first season is unthinkable.

Hamilton signed a three-year contract when he joined Ferrari, although the consensus is that only the first two years were guaranteed. That means there will be a decisive review of the partnership at some point this season.

On the latest episode of the ‘MontoyAS‘ podcast, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya discussed Hamilton’s future with ESPN reporter Albert Fabrega.

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The feeling is that Hamilton, who recently turned 41, will lose his motivation to continue racing unless he makes a breakthrough at Ferrari this year. He failed to score a single Grand Prix podium in his first season.

Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move likened to Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari comeback

At the end of 2014, Fernando Alonso left Ferrari to return to McLaren, who were rekindling their legendary partnership with Honda.

But while Ferrari started winning races with new signing Sebastian Vettel, Honda’s underpowered V6 condemned McLaren. Alonso finished 17th in the 2015 championship in his first season with just 11 points, and he remained in the midfield for the next three years.

At one point, he became so frustrated that he called the Honda power unit a ‘GP2 engine’ over the team radio. The move, which generated immense hype, became a ‘horrible mess’, and Montoya sees parallels with Hamilton’s Ferrari switch.

Fernando Alonso hasn’t won a world championship in 20 years. What’s gone wrong at every team he’s driven for since Renault?

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He said: “I think the Lewis we are seeing now is like Fernando when he was at McLaren, when McLaren was doing very badly, which was a horrible mess.”

Fabrega added: “If he has another season like the one he’s had, I don’t see him continuing.

“He’s already achieved everything he wanted to achieve and I don’t think he’s going to extend his time in Formula 1 that much. I don’t see Lewis extending his career for many more years, as Fernando has done.”

Alonso nominally retired at the end of 2018 but returned for the 2021 season. After a brief stint at Alpine, he’s now entering his fourth season with Aston Martin and approaching his 45th birthday.

Riccardo Adami move not the only change Ferrari are making behind the scenes

Ferrari have taken drastic action in response to Hamilton’s dismal season, reassigning race engineer Riccardo Adami. His replacement hasn’t yet been confirmed, but it will be an internal hire.

According to Sky Italia, this isn’t the only behind-the-scenes change. ‘A multi-level reshuffle of personnel’ is taking place at Maranello.

Hamilton’s former team, Mercedes, enter the year as favourites for the title. If Alonso regretted his mistake 11 years ago, perhaps his former teammate will soon feel the same.