Hamilton joins Ferrari off the back of his weakest Formula 1 season to date. He finished a career-worst seventh in the championship and lost 19-5 to George Russell in the Grand Prix qualifying head-to-head.
There were still moments when Hamilton was on top form. His British GP victory, which ended a drought stretching back to late 2021, was a masterful display in dry-wet-dry conditions.
He also won in Belgium (following Russell’s disqualification), and might have added a third victory in Las Vegas without two costly Q3 errors. Still, his charge from 10th to second on race day earned him the driver of the day award.
On the other hand, he was entirely unrecognisable at times. He failed to reach Q3 at a quarter of the season’s 24 races, and his recent performances in Qatar (12th) and Austin (DNF) surely rank among his worst ever.
The hope for Hamilton’s supporters is that this reflects the wildly inconsistent nature of the Mercedes car. But until he makes his Ferrari debut in March, hope is all they’ll have.
Speaking to F1’s official website, reigning world champion Max Verstappen implied that he wouldn’t race as long as Hamilton or Fernando Alonso. They’re the two oldest drivers on the grid at 39 and 43.
While Verstappen loves competing, he also has other interests outside F1 he’d like to pursue. And he’s wary that his physical peak will come to an end.
The Red Bull driver believes that athletes can’t reach the same fitness levels when they hit their late 30s or early 40s. Worryingly, that’s the exact age bracket Hamilton occupies.
| RANK | DRIVER | RACE | AGE (Y/M/D) |
| 1 | Luigi Fagioli | 1951 French Grand Prix | 53/0/22 |
| 2 | Nino Farina | 1953 German Grand Prix | 46/9/3 |
| 3 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 1957 German Grand Prix | 46/1/11 |
| 4 | Piero Taruffi | 1952 Swiss Grand Prix | 45/7/6 |
| 5 | Jack Braham | 1970 South African Grand Prix | 43/11/5 |
| 6 | Nigel Mansell | 1994 Australian Grand Prix | 41/3/5 |
The signs may be subtle. For instance, Hamilton could become more fatigued at the end of races, leading to more mistakes.
Verstappen said: “I know I can’t do it forever. I love racing, competing at the highest level with so many incredible drivers but there will be a day when I want to relax a bit more. You only live once.
“When you’re at the end of your 30s, early 40s, your body is naturally declining a bit. Of course I can spend that in F1, but I also want to do other stuff. I want to maximise my lifetime on this planet.”
As the table above shows, no driver has won a Grand Prix in their 40s since Hamilton’s compatriot Nigel Mansell back in 1994. More significantly, the last driver quadragenarian to win a world championship was Jack Brabham in 1996.
Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is almost certainly his last in Formula 1. If there was ever a chance of him racing alongside Verstappen, it can now be effectively ruled out.
But Verstappen is glad he won’t partner Hamilton. He thinks it’d be bad for the sport because seeing them compete for the title at different teams is a greater spectacle.
Indeed, if only two drivers in equal machinery are in a position to win a championship, it’s perhaps a poor reflection of F1’s health.
