Lewis Hamilton warned 1 huge Ferrari risk threatens ‘bad end’ to Mercedes ace’s F1 career

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Lewis Hamilton is risking a ‘bad end’ to his Formula 1 career by swapping Mercedes for Ferrari unless the seven-time drivers’ champion beats Charles Leclerc as teammates.

That is the opinion of German motorsport legend, Hans-Joachim Stuck, who claims Hamilton can ‘lose a lot’ by joining Ferrari. But the 39-year-old’s decision to leave Mercedes and move to Maranello from 2025 on a multi-year contract might also lead to his record eighth F1 title.

Stuck believes Hamilton will get the chance to surpass fellow seven-time champion, Michael Schumacher, once he races in red. Ferrari are desperate for another drivers’ title having, still, not won the crown since Kimi Raikkonen beat a rookie Hamilton with McLaren back in 2007.

Ferrari have not won the drivers’ championship since beating Lewis Hamilton in 2007

Ferrari have also not won an F1 constructors’ championship since 2008 when Hamilton won his first drivers’ title for McLaren. Brawn GP then did the double with Jenson Button in 2009, before Red Bull (2010-13), Mercedes (‘14-20) and Red Bull again (‘21-23) became dominant.

Given they won 21 of the 22 Grand Prix in 2023, Red Bull will go into the 2024 season as the heavy favourite to win both titles again. Leclerc was the best-placed Ferrari driver in fifth on 206 points with Carlos Sainz (200) seventh. Hamilton (234) was the best non-Red Bull racer.

Hamilton ended 2023 in P3, while Leclerc ended 2022 in P2 but also trailed Max Verstappen by 146 points. It was Ferrari’s best finish to a drivers’ championship since Sebastian Vettel in 2018 with P2. But Fernando Alonso was their last almost-champion in 2012 by three points.

Lewis Hamilton risks a ‘bad end’ to his F1 career once Charles Leclerc’s teammate

Stuck believes Hamilton can be the one to, finally, end Ferrari’s title drought when he leaves Mercedes in 2025. But the ex-Brabham F1 racer and two-time Le Mans winner also feels the Stevenage-born star has a lot to lose if he cannot trump Leclerc in their head-to-head battle.

“Compared to Leclerc, Hamilton is no longer the youngest,” Stuck explained, via quotes by Sport.de. “We have experienced this story many times. A driver changes the team, then a younger driver comes along and lights a fire under his backside.

“Of course Hamilton, can win his eighth title [at Ferrari] but he can also lose a lot. Assuming Leclerc beats Hamilton, that would be a bad end to his career.”

Leclerc and Sainz were rather evenly matched in the Ferrari teammates’ head-to-head fight during 2023. The former had the slight edge with their Grand Prix results at 12-10. But Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix last year with his Singapore GP victory.

Qualifying was the biggest differentiator with Leclerc beating Sainz 15-7 for Grand Prix while taking five pole positions to two. The 26-year-old Monegasque also stood on six podiums to the 29-year-old Spaniard’s two. They tied 3-3 for Sprint results and for the Sprint Shootouts.

Hamilton, meanwhile, edged Mercedes teammate George Russell 15-7 for Grand Prix results in 2023. They tied 11-all in their qualifying head-to-head. But Hamilton also sealed their sole pole and won their podiums (6-2) H2H. Russell won their H2H in Sprints and Shootouts 4-2.