Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Dutch driver Tom Coronel believes Ferrari would’ve preferred Max Verstappen over Lewis Hamilton for 2025, as they can “only become World Champions” with Verstappen behind the wheel.
Announcing in February that he’d be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of this season, Hamilton’s farewell tour with Mercedes won’t end with an eighth World title but he is winning races again.
‘Lewis Hamilton is second choice, but better second than third’
Back on the top step of the podium at the British Grand Prix, his ninth P1 at Silverstone, Hamilton clinched his first win in 945 days to break a streak that extended back to the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
He followed that up with a second victory at the Belgian Grand Prix when he inherited the P1 after his team-mate George Russell was disqualified for a technical infringement, when his W15 was found to be 1.5kgs underweight.
It has Coronel declaring that the Briton still has what it takes to win another World title.
“Lewis Hamilton is and remains a top driver, who could secretly take another World title,” he told Formule 1 Magazine. “And I would grant him that wholeheartedly.
“He won recently in Belgium and before that at Silverstone, for the ninth time. It was all down to luck, but he just pulled it off.”
Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari: PR or on-track success?
But having said that, the 52-year-old doubts it will happen with Ferrari as they need more than Hamilton to succeed, they need Max Verstappen.
“I’m really looking forward to Lewis at Ferrari,” he continued.
“I think it was a masterstroke by Ferrari that they took him, but of course they would have preferred Max. Ferrari can only become World Champions with Max, they won’t succeed with Hamilton.
“He is second choice, but better second than third.”
In fact, the Dutch racing driver reckons swapping silver for red, Hamilton may yet find his dream move to Ferrari even puts him behind Mercedes on the track next season.
