Ex-Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger believes seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton could still move to Ferrari, with loyalty meaning “nothing” at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Hamilton’s future has been a huge talking point already this season, with most having expected the Briton to have signed a contract extension with Mercedes during the recent winter break.
His current deal with the Silver Arrows is set to expire at the end of this season, meaning time is certainly running out for the 38-year-old to sign an extension.
Both Hamilton and team principal Toto Wolff have told the media that an extension beyond 2023 will be signed at some point; however, speculation will continue to be made until his signature is on the contract.
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The only team that Hamilton has been linked with is Ferrari, a team that “every racing driver wants to drive for”, according to Berger.
With no seat at Red Bull likely going to be available for Hamilton, the only top team he could move to is Ferrari, should Mercedes fail to improve the W14.
Virtually every legendary F1 driver has competed for Ferrari, including Hamilton’s hero, Ayrton Senna.
Hamilton himself has previously expressed how much he’d love to drive for Ferrari, with the Tifosi having always given the 103-time race winner an exceptional welcome.
His loyalty to Mercedes, though, is seemingly too important to Hamilton, with the Stevenage-born driver seeing the Brackley-based team as his family.
Berger isn’t buying Hamilton’s “family” claims, though, with him believing that a move to Ferrari could certainly still happen.
“Every racing driver wants to drive for Ferrari at least once. And almost all the good ones have been there.
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“Ayrton Senna just didn’t go to the Scuderia because he knew: I can never win there.
“It may be that Lewis thinks so too. But if he doesn’t get a competitive car at Mercedes, if he doesn’t see a place at Red Bull Racing, then he might think: I don’t want to stop just yet, I want to try Ferrari again. Maybe I can fix it.
“Although Lewis constantly emphasizes that he would never leave his Mercedes family, but that means nothing in Formula 1. No one reveals the cards there!”