With Mercedes looking set for a second consecutive year of disappointment, Sky Sports F1 pundits have discussed if Lewis Hamilton could look elsewhere in a bid to claim an unprecedented eighth title, with him having entered the final year on his contract.
Hamilton has been massively successful since he switched to Mercedes in 2013, with the 38-year-old having claimed six titles whilst driving for the Silver Arrows.
2022, though, was Hamilton’s first season in Formula 1 where he didn’t claim either a pole position or a victory, with 2023 looking likely to perhaps be a repeat.
Mercedes were well off the pace in Bahrain last weekend and are likely going to need a new design philosophy in order to catch the likes of Red Bull, leading some to ponder of Hamilton would consider leaving the Germans at the end of the season.
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One option which has been lightly rumoured is whether Aston Martin would approach Hamilton to replace Lance Stroll; however, ex-F1 driver Karun Chandhok doesn’t see that happening at all.
“I don’t think that will happen,” Chandhok said on Sky Sports F1’s Vodcast.
“You’re going to tell Lawrence to sack his son. Good luck with that.”
Sky Sports F1 presenter Simon Lazenby also believes Aston Martin isn’t an option for Hamilton; however, he does believe that Ferrari could be a possibility.
“Not to Aston, but how can you rule out a move to Ferrari if [Mercedes] stay like this?” Lazenby said on the Vodcast.
“He’s so desperate for that eighth, that if Ferrari did manage to stay on the coattails and they were the nearest to Red Bull.
“He’s not put his pen to paper yet on his contract. He’s definitely waiting to see how this year’s car felt. I think the great relationship with the team and Toto will endure but I don’t think you can ever rule out a move to Ferrari for racing drivers because it’s their dream and he’s said it before.”
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South African racing driver Naomi Schiff also thinks Ferrari would be Hamilton’s best option should he decide to ditch the Germans; however, she doesn’t see Hamilton leaving the Brackley-based team.
“I think Lewis would be more likely to go to Ferrari but I don’t think he’s going to leave Mercedes,” Schiff said on the Vodcast.
“He is very much a team player. I think he’s also said he wants to leave his legacy there and be part of the team just like Niki [Lauda] was. I don’t see him leaving last minute after all these years with the team.”