Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton could be reaching the end of the line. Calls have hit the airwaves calling for his retirement. In particular, Ralf Schumacher has been public about his belief that Ferrari’s top driver’s time is up.
Now, another legendary voice is predicting that the clock will strike midnight on Hamilton. In a recent interview with casino.org, racing engineer turned commentator Guenther Steiner speculated about the possibility of Lewis Hamilton calling it quits.
While there’s no tangible evidence at this point that Hamilton will be leaving Formula One, his start this season could be an indication that Hamilton may remain at Scuderia Ferrari.
However, Steiner feels that Hamilton doesn’t really have anything to prove. As a 7-time World Champ, the British driver may not have the motivation to keep going at his usual elite level.
“This year, it seems he has started the season a lot better. But I think the question of how long he stays in F1 depends on how much success he wants to have, because he doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody anymore. He only wants to prove to himself that he can still do it.”
But Lewis Hamilton’s decision may come down to realizing he can’t win one more world title. Steiner believes that, when the realization hits, Hamilton may choose to get away from the cockpit.
“At some stage, he will say he’s had enough of this, but I think when he realizes that he cannot win the 8th world championship in a Ferrari, that is when he will say, ‘I want to stop,’ and that’s when a seat will open up for Bearman.”
For Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton’s departure will open the door to change.
Lewis Hamilton’s Departure to Open the Door for Oliver Bearman
One of the comments that Schumacher drilled down on was the need for Ferrari to move on from Lewis Hamilton and bring in Oliver Bearman. But until Hamilton steps away, Ferrari won’t be able to move forward.
That’s a point that Steiner also underscored. In particular, Steiner made it clear that if Bearman wants to excel, joining Ferrari would be the best path forward.
“I think Oliver now is ready to go to a team where he can win races or at least go to the podium. He is very young, though, and we can’t forget that.”
By Steiner’s reckoning, it will only be a matter of time before Bearman rides the cockpit for Ferrari. It may not be this season, but the move will come sooner or later.
What to read next:
Could Verstappen Become an Option for Ferrari?
One interesting point Steiner brought up was the possibility of Max Verstappen joining Ferrari. Of course, such a blockbuster move wouldn’t be easy. But then again, with options limited as they are, Verstappen could take over for Lewis Hamilton.
“In my opinion, Max can only go to 3 teams: Ferrari, McLaren, or Mercedes. But is there anything available at the moment? Maybe not, but would they make something available for Max Verstappen? That is the big question.”
With a changing of the guard potentially coming, Ferrari could be looking to make a major move and replace one world champion with another.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Lewis Hamilton to Retire ‘When He Realizes He Can’t Win,’ Steiner appeared first on HEAVY.