Johnny Herbert, former Formula 1 driver, has criticized Lewis Hamilton and his ongoing difficulties adapting to Ferrari, stating: “Age is a burden.”
The seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is going through a challenging season with Scuderia Ferrari, and former driver Johnny Herbert has made some particularly sharp observations regarding Hamilton’s performance. In an interview with Grosvenor Casino, Herbert noted that age is more than just a number for Lewis Hamilton.
Herbert: “Hamilton should consider retirement”
Speaking about Lewis Hamilton, Johnny Herbert said:
“Age naturally affects the ability to adapt to new driving styles and to modern cars like the ground effect machines introduced in 2022. There is no exact moment when competitiveness is lost, but a decline in freshness and versatility is normal. Lewis Hamilton could therefore consider retirement, a difficult decision to make, especially when weighing whether this is the right time, particularly if the performances do not improve.”
Hamilton himself acknowledges he is no longer at his peak
After being eliminated in Q2 at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton suggested that Ferrari may have made a mistake in signing him and even mentioned that the team should change drivers. Johnny Herbert elaborated on the topic, explaining that Hamilton is struggling and unable to regain the spark that once defined him. The former British driver stated:
“Ferrari has made wrong decisions and the radio communication is lacking; Hamilton has not managed to establish the necessary connection with his race engineer, unlike what happened after his sprint race victory in China.”
Leclerc is clearly Ferrari’s reference driver now
The current situation makes it clear how much Charles Leclerc has become the driver to rely on at Ferrari. Johnny Herbert emphasized this point clearly: “Ferrari can no longer count on Lewis. It’s a tough assessment, but it’s reality. Leclerc, on the other hand, continues to grow and represents the team’s cornerstone.”
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