Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari: the official news has been known for a few days now, although to see the seven-time world champion at the wheel of the Red we will have to wait until 2025. In the meantime, there are obviously numerous considerations regarding the transfer of the #44 to Maranello: either due to the announcement a year in advance, or due to the age of the current Mercedes driver, who turned 39 in January.
The last Englishman in Maranello
Consequently, when the move to Ferrari materializes, Hamilton will be de facto forty years oldeven if the issue of age is not considered a problem by the man who, before the record number of victories, was the last English driver to occupy the seat of a Red car: Nigel Mansell. World champion in 1992 with Williams, the 'Lion' arrived in Maranello in 1989 and then remained there the following season before returning to Grove, collecting three total victories. The first, moreover, occurred on its debut in Brazil, in Jacarepaguà, in what was also the first success in the history of a car equipped with a semi-automatic gearbox.
Age is not a problem
Interviewed by BBC SportsMansell therefore does not consider age as a factor that could negatively influence the performance of his compatriot: “People say Lewis is too old now – he has declared – at 39? No. I won my championship at 39 and could have continued, but politics came into play. Lewis, if he is motivated, still has several years ahead of himif not many, and I think that's just fantastic.”
Eight titles?
Mansell therefore became world champion at 39 years old, the same current age as Hamilton who has as his primary objective that of conquering the record of eight world titles. A goal that Mansell himself believes is possible: “Yes, Lewis he can do it – he added – but I'm sure that Verstappen will do everything to stop it, and I'm sure that Ferrari in 2024 will do everything to stop him. I think we have a great Formula 1 season ahead of us, and it certainly looks like we'll have an exciting one in 2025. I think for fans it's fantastic and incredibly engaging – he concluded – I think Lewis will probably finish his career with Ferrari: it's like a dream come true for him, and I imagine it, because going to Ferrari is everything“.
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