Lewis Hamilton “peak may be behind him” but Ferrari have a reason to smile

Lewis Hamilton’s “peak” might be in the past but Ferrari will still obtain a driver capable of battling at the front, Martin Brundle says.

Hamilton has waved goodbye to Mercedes after the season-ending F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, ending their legendary tenure together.

He will join Ferrari, combining Formula 1’s most successful driver and team, but will be 40 years old when he first gets behind the wheel.

Sky Sports’ Brundle paid tribute to Hamilton’s drive from 16th to fourth in Abu Dhabi: “It was like Vegas where he came back through the field.

“Is Lewis over the hill? Is his absolute peak behind him or ahead of him? It might be behind him as he turns 40 in January.

“But 98% of Lewis Hamilton in a race-winning Ferrari will win races. He will also get some new energy there.

“There is still a lot to come from Hamilton in a Formula 1 car.”

Lewis Hamilton v Charles Leclerc at Ferrari

Hamilton will team up with Charles Leclerc, a fresh challenge, next year.

This season he was comprehensively out-qualified by George Russell so the seven-time F1 champion does have some question marks surrounding him.

But Brundle insists Hamilton, and Leclerc, can vie for the title if Ferrari provide the right package.

“They have both got a chance if they’ve got a championship-winning car,” Brundle said.

“Charles will be unbelievably fast but Lewis has experience, he knows what it’s like to win seven championships.

“Same with Lando Norris, you don’t know until the pressure is on whether they can bring their A-game every day. The true champions can.

“There won’t be a whole lot in it, when push comes to shove.”

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his fourth F1 drivers’ title in a row this season but it was largely thanks to his form at the beginning of the year, when his RB20 still carried the pace over from 2023.

In the latter half of the campaign, Red Bull’s dominance has waned and Verstappen has been forced to fend off McLaren’s Norris.

Next year, in the final season of the current regulations, the expectation is that the cars will converge further before the pack is shuffled again in 2026. Perhaps, giving fresh hope to Ferrari’s Hamilton.