David Coulthard admits Lewis Hamilton left him ‘totally confused’ with his decision to quit Mercedes and join Ferrari, where the seven-time F1 champion is now struggling.
The 40-year-old stunned the world in February 2024 when Hamilton announced that he was to join Ferrari in the 2025 F1 season, ending a storied 12-year spell for Mercedes. The Briton had won six titles, 84 Grands Prix, 78 pole positions and 153 podiums with the Silver Arrows.
But his move to Maranello is yet to pay off, with the Stevenage-born star still to take a Grand Prix podium or pole position for the pride of Italy. Hamilton’s best results for Ferrari thus far have come in F1 Sprint events, with the pole and the win in China plus his podium in Miami.
David Coulthard now says ‘no’ to Lewis Hamilton winning his eighth F1 title with Ferrari
Hamilton secured his best Grand Prix result for Ferrari thus far at Imola, when he recovered from qualifying in P12 for the Emilia Romagna GP to finish fourth in the Scuderia’s backyard. He is also losing optimism, with Hamilton urging Ferrari to focus on the 2026 F1 regulations.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1’s 2026 engine and chassis regulations
| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Oscar Piastri |
186 |
| 2 |
Lando Norris |
176 |
| 3 |
Max Verstappen |
137 |
| 4 |
George Russell |
111 |
| 5 |
Charles Leclerc |
94 |
| 6 |
Lewis Hamilton |
71 |
| 7 |
Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
48 |
It is not the start to his life in red that the Mercedes hero wanted, with Hamilton struggling with the unpredictable rear end of Ferrari’s car. His plight with the SF-25 is also now leaving Coulthard with growing doubts that Hamilton will win his eighth F1 title after joining Ferrari.
Coulthard told Bild: “I always felt that Lewis had developed a special relationship and loyalty with Mercedes. So, I was totally confused when I heard about his move.
“It was a bit like Michael returning to Formula 1 with Mercedes, even though he had built such a legacy at Ferrari. But, ultimately, this is Lewis’ journey, his story [and] his book that he’s writing. Maybe he’ll win a Grand Prix, maybe he’ll win a championship, or maybe not.”
When Bild pushed Coulthard on whether or not Hamilton will win his eighth F1 drivers’ title with Ferrari, the Scot added: “No, it doesn’t look like it.”
Lewis Hamilton is losing Ferrari’s support after a disappointing start to the 2025 F1 season
Ferrari now plan to run their upgraded rear suspension in Canada, along with a new floor, in the hope of helping Hamilton improve his results in the SF-25. But the Scuderia’s engineers are joining the F1 record-setter in losing hope for the 2025 term after the first nine rounds.
But a greater concern in Maranello might add further weight to Coulthard’s growing doubts about Hamilton winning an eighth F1 title with Ferrari, who the Briton hopes will improve in 2026 with the new regulations. He agreed to sign an initial two-year contract to join Ferrari.
It is now said that Hamilton has a suspicion that Ferrari’s engineers no longer back him after his disappointing start to the 2025 season. He has seen a huge shift in Maranello with those who celebrated his arrival becoming accusers, which will not help any title bid next season.
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