Lewis Hamilton “deserves” a record eighth World Championship, but must hope that joining Ferrari “unlocks” his pace of old.

That is the claim put forward by Sky F1 pundit Naomi Schiff, who fears Hamilton risks a “sad” ending to his Formula 1 career unless he rebounds at Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton at risk of ‘sad last chapter’ with Ferrari?

Hamilton activated a release clause in his Mercedes contract to sign with Ferrari from F1 2025, but while his 12th and final season of a record-breaking Mercedes alliance featured victories at Silverstone and Spa, there were also lows.

Hamilton suffered a 19-5 defeat to then team-mate George Russell across F1 2024, and claimed after a fresh setback in Qatar that “I’m definitely not fast anymore”, while he admitted that he wanted to leave Mercedes there and then in the immediate aftermath of a difficult Brazilian Grand Prix.

The rocky road that Hamilton travelled in his final Mercedes season has created a great deal of scrutiny as he embarks on a fresh career chapter with Ferrari, chasing a record eighth World Championship “that he deserves”, according to Schiff.

But, whether he can rediscover the level to put himself in that conversation, remains to be seen.

After Sky F1 presenter Simon Lazenby stated, “we would all love to see Lewis Hamilton up there fighting these young bucks for a title again”, Schiff replied: “He’s also not got a decade left in the sport.

“So it’d be sad to see Lewis do this last chapter of his career not the best possible way, not having the victories that he might want to have, not potentially even getting that eighth title that we all know that he deserves.

“So at the end of the day, I hope for him, that will be the switch at Ferrari, where all of a sudden the new car, the new setup of the car, maybe unlocks what we know that he has in him.

“It might just be that confidence that comes back.”

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However, with Hamilton having leapt into a completely new environment at Ferrari, as he prepares to go up against Charles Leclerc – regarded as one of the fastest drivers in F1 over one lap – ex-F1 racer Anthony Davidson warns Hamilton cannot afford to lack one ounce of self-belief.

“You can’t be doubting yourself,” he stressed, “when you’re moving team as well.

“It’s another thing that is hard at the best of times as a driver, when you move family, new team, new car, new drivers to race and fight against. And that’s the time when you need supreme confidence.

“And it seems bizarre to be saying this about this seven-time World Champion. Lewis Hamilton, Surely not he’ll be doubting himself as an athlete.

“Well, it’s almost refreshing to learn that it does happen.”

Hamilton’s vacated Mercedes seat has been filled by teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old making the step up to F1 after a rookie F2 campaign which produced two race wins.

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