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Ex-Ferrari man: 'If Hamilton wins title he'll never pay for pizza again'
Will Lewis Hamilton be able to win his eighth world title with Ferrari or will his tenure at the Scuderia be regarded a failure? It is one of the key questions ahead of the new Formula One season. Ernest Knoors, former engineer at Ferrari and other teams, has not yet decided which scenario is the most realistic, but does believe in the Briton's talents.
Hamilton had a difficult season with Mercedes in 2024, even if he did manage to get his hands on two Grands Prix winner's trophies. Is that is an omen for '25? Knoors, currently a Viaplay analyst, doesn't think so. "Hamilton is no slouch, eh. He hasn't lost his talent. He hasn't. No, definitely not," the Dutchman reported during a press event at Viaplay, where GPblog was also present.
"I don't think you should completely take last season as the benchmark of where he stands. He left, knew for a year that he was going to leave, is then no longer included in all the meetings, has no more input for development. I think for himself at some point he was mentally done with it as well," Knoors said.
'Hamilton needs a good start at Ferrari'
The former engineer believes in Hamilton, even if his age is on the other end of the spectrum for an F1 driver. "I hope he just has a good start at Ferrari and can really show his racing skills there. Which he also showed a few times last season."
And who knows, maybe Hamilton will actually become champion with Ferrari, something Italian fans are passionately hoping for. "And one thing is for sure, if Hamilton manages to win an eighth world title and after so much time another title for Ferrari, he will never have to pay for a pizza for the rest of his life."
This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen.
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