Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari: Felipe Massa feels “age can be a factor, as it was with Michael Schumacher”. Felipe Massa acknowledges that age inevitably takes its toll in F1.

The precedent
With the Formula 1 careers of Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo coming to an end, there will only be three drivers on the 2025 grid born in the 1980s. Fernando Alonso remains the undisputed veteran at 43 years old, while Lewis Hamilton will soon join the “over-40 club,” celebrating his 40th birthday in less than a month. Nico Hulkenberg, born in 1987, completes the trio of elder statesmen. With Kevin Magnussen and Sergio Perez also leaving the grid, the next generation begins with Carlos Sainz, born in 1994.

Over the last three years at Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton has already faced the challenge of competing against the young and ambitious George Russell. Next year, his primary rival will be Charles Leclerc. While the the British driver struggled against George Russell in qualifying throughout the 2024 Formula 1 season, he consistently demonstrated in races that he remains a driver capable of winning seven world titles.

In an interview with the Brazilian outlet *Estadao*, former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa emphasized that the Maranello team’s decision not to miss the opportunity to sign Lewis Hamilton is entirely understandable. However, he noted that the British driver must contend with the realities of aging. “If you asked me whether I would take Hamilton, as Ferrari team boss, as a driver, yes, I would, without a doubt,” Felipe Massa said. “In terms of talent, he’s one of the best drivers ever seen in F1. But when considering age, perhaps I would have some doubts. In this sport, as in all sports, age matters, and it’s important to assess whether it’s affecting him or not. From personal experience, I know it’s necessary to train harder as you age, and recovery times also increase. Age has negatively impacted many drivers—just look at what happened with Schumacher at Mercedes.” – the Brazilian pointed out.

Felipe Massa’s comparison, however, requires context. When Michael Schumacher returned to Formula 1 in 2010 after ending his Ferrari career in 2006, he had been out of racing for three years. This contrasts with Lewis Hamilton, who is simply switching teams. Furthermore, between 2006 and 2010, the landscape of Formula 1 had changed dramatically, including tires, which won’t be the case for Lewis Hamilton.