Lewis Hamilton will have turned 40 by the time he races in Ferrari red for the first time, yet he is still being backed for a long-term Scuderia career by Jacques Villeneuve.
Jacques Villeneuve believes that Lewis Hamilton could potentially race for Ferrari for a decade, provided that the team offers their unwavering support to the seven-time Formula 1 champion. Hamilton made the decision prior to the start of the current season that it would be his final one with Mercedes. Beginning in January, he will wear the iconic red colors of Ferrari, with his first race for the team occurring after he celebrates his 40th birthday. Despite his relatively advanced age—only Fernando Alonso, at 43, is older among his F1 competitors—Villeneuve remains skeptical about Hamilton’s imminent departure from the sport.
The 1997 F1 champion pointed to Aston Martin driver Alonso as an example that drivers are capable of racing for longer these days if they look after themselves. And Villeneuve believes Hamilton can stick around for a long time yet – if Ferrari get things right.
He told Prime Casino: “Alonso is still quick, he’s still hungry. It depends how it goes [for Hamilton] at Ferrari, if it sucks the energy out of him or not. That’s all. He could do another 10 years. He’s fit, he’s super fit, he’s strong, why stop? Why not?
“Unless at some point he’s just had enough and he gets tired. It’s when that kicks in, when you’re just too tired. If you wake up and get to the door and think, ‘Oh gosh, I have to go to the track today’ – if that kicks in, that’s when you have to stop.
“[F1] is very chaotic and it seems to be hard to constantly have the full support. It seems to be a moving ball, and Lewis needs the support – that’s been obvious. Take Max [Verstappen], even without support he’s out there killing it. Lewis seems to be more sensitive to the support.”
Following an extended period without a victory, Hamilton successfully concluded his winless streak at Silverstone last month and subsequently secured another triumph in Belgium a few weeks later. Villeneuve expresses his contentment with the Briton’s current ambition to pursue further achievements; however, he harbors concerns that this drive may diminish if circumstances do not favor him.
The Canadian remarked, “[Hamilton] appears to maintain his competitive spirit. It seems he encounters greater difficulty in qualifying, struggling to extract that final tenth of a second. Yet, once he transitions into race mode, as demonstrated at Silverstone, his focus sharpens, and he rekindles the essence of his former self when the prospect of victory arises. The challenge lies in the inconsistency of this performance.
“Historically, in previous championship-winning seasons, there were always periods of struggle. No season has mirrored Max’s current dominance, although in the past, the car’s performance did not significantly alter outcomes. Victories were often by mere tenths rather than substantial margins. Presently, the disparities are quite pronounced, yet Hamilton still exhibits that competitive hunger. The champion within him remains intact. He must harness that energy before confronting Ferrari, as it is a formidable environment.”
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