Driving for Ferrari in F1 is a dream for almost all drivers. Winning a championship for them, is the ethereal best one can achieve. Nigel Mansell drove for the Prancing Horse but could never get his hands on the coveted title with the Maranello-based team. However, he is confident that his countryman and seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton has all the ingredients to make that dream come true.
Mansell spoke about Hamilton‘s imminent move to the Scuderia. Citing the team’s recent form, the 1992 world champion is of the firm opinion that the team is ready to fight for championships. Moreover, if the #44 driver is motivated enough to go for this eighth crown, Mansell feels that a championship win is guaranteed.
“I think that what Lewis has done by deciding to join Ferrari is the most magical thing he could have done. The team is ultra-competitive. They could go for the championship next year,” he said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
“I will go out on a limb and I will guarantee that, if Lewis can find his motivation, he has got another championship in him. Easily,” concluded Mansell.
| Nigel Mansell says Lewis Hamilton “will surprise everybody”, adds “I don’t care what anybody says about Lewis. He is a class act. I have always been a fan of his.” while “guaranteeing” that Lewis has another championship in him :
“I think that what Lewis has done by deciding… pic.twitter.com/VX6trNaZIc
— sim (@sim3744) November 26, 2024
The 71-year-old also warned people who were looking at Hamilton as an underdog going into his Ferrari stint. While Charles Leclerc will give the Briton a run for his money, Mansell believes that Hamilton has the caliber to “surprise everybody.”
The former Ferrari and Williams driver made his point by highlighting the difference between a driver who has a couple of good weekends and a driver like Hamilton who can put in championship-winning performances over the course of a season.
Ferrari and Hamilton’s end-of-season form is a warning for rivals in 2025
Since the summer break, Ferrari have turned their season around. Some really targeted upgrade packages and sublime driving from Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have swung the momentum in the Scuderia’s favor — making them favorites to clinch the Constructors’ title this year.
This momentum is sure to carry forward to 2025 as well, with the cars being an evolution of this year. Moreover, Hamilton’s own performance at the Las Vegas GP — where he sliced through the field to recover from P10 to P2 — shows that the Briton is far from over his prime.
If Hamilton can get his eighth title with Ferrari, it would be a historic achievement for both the parties and on many levels.
