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Lewis Hamilton’s Best Racing Days behind Him; Australian Champ Gives Brutal Verdict on 7 Time Winner

Published 03/19/2024, 10:05 AM EDT

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via Reuters

Ahead of Lewis Hamilton‘s debut race, his move to Ferrari has again become a topic of discussion. However, recent opinions aren’t as kind as the initial reaction toward Hamilton’s Ferrari move. Australian world champion Alan Jones proved it when he was asked to comment on the shocking news. The Australian not only dismissed the Brit as Ferrari’s messiah, he also believes the best days of Lewis Hamilton are past him.

Speaking with the Herald Sun, the 1980 world champion gave a brutally honest opinion on the impact Hamilton will have at Ferrari. To summarize, he said he won’t have any seeing his current state. Jones stated how the Brit is being beaten by his Mercedes teammate with relative ease and this might be the case when he moves next year. However, his most brutal assessment came when he was asked if Hamilton’s best racing days were behind him. Let’s hear his opinion in his own words.

via Reuters

“I don’t know whether (Hamilton) going to Ferrari is going to be the end all and be all of what Ferrari needs,” Jones said. “Lewis has really got to start to pull his finger out a little bit quite frankly. George Russell is now starting to give him a bit of a hiding now most times and the more that goes on, the more that will play on him. I really don’t think it was (the right move for Ferrari) to be honest. In terms of increasing their share price, yes. But I just don’t think he is going to be the (answer).”

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Lastly, he delivered his verdict on the Brit’s capabilities when asked if his best racing days were past him. Jones said, “I think so, yes.”

Sadly for all Hamilton fans, Jones isn’t the only F1 entity who believes the 7x champion won’t make any difference at Ferrari. Moreover, to rub salt in his wounds, when Ralf Schumacher discussed this blockbuster move, he dismissed not only his impact but also him as a driver compared to his current arch-nemesis, Max Verstappen.

Ralf Schumacher brutally downplays Lewis Hamilton’s abilities compared to Max Verstappen

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After the intense bout in 2021, Hamilton has not been able to challenge the Dutchman for a win. In fact, Hamilton’s last race win came during the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP. Since then, Verstappen has been consistently wracking up wins at a record pace. This is exactly why while discussing Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, the German pointed out how he’s nowhere near compared to the Red Bull man.

via Reuters

“Hamilton is, obviously, a seven-time world champion and a fantastic driver, but I don’t think he has the qualities of Verstappen,” said Ralf Schumacher. “I don’t think he’s as consistent as him, and he can’t eliminate that extra tenth at all costs.”

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The German, along with Alan Jones, does not believe Hamilton’s move to Ferrari will bear any substantial fruit as long as Verstappen is out there doing what he does best. However, if Ferrari can make a significant jump over the coming year, we might see these opinions change.

Read More: Esteban Ocon Reveals Copying Lewis Hamilton’s ‘Amazing’ Habit That Changed His Life

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Written by:

Mahim Suhalka

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Mahim is a senior Formula 1 writer at EssentiallySports. With a Diploma in Sports Management, he ventured into sports journalism for his sheer passion for F1. Mahim has written over 2000 articles during his tenure at ES, and his expertise is in perspective pieces and core sports coverage.
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Edited by:

Akash Pandhare