Nigel Mansell believes Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari is a ‘magical step for him’ as the British driver aims to win a record eighth Formula 1 world title.
Before the 2024 F1 season began, Ferrari announced that they had signed the seven-time world champion from Mercedes, replacing Carlos Sainz.
The 39-year-old is still chasing the elusive eighth world title as he is currently tied with F1 legend Michael Schumacher for the most Drivers’ Titles in the sport.
Schumacher won five of his titles with the Prancing Horse and Hamilton hopes to do the same when he joins the team for the 2025 season.
Hamilton will also be aiming to become the first driver to win a title with three different teams since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1956.
Mansell was the last English-born driver to race with Ferrari back in 1990 for a full season and he predicts that Hamilton’s move will be a successful one.
“I’ve been a Lewis Hamilton fan all the time and I predicted he’d be one of the best ever,” Mansell told Top Offshore Sportsbooks.
“He’s done that. He gets a lot of criticism. I think what he’s done now to end his career in Formula 1 going to Ferrari is a magical step for him.
“He won’t realise, having been an ex-Formula 1 Ferrari driver, to drive for Ferrari is something incredibly special and he’ll feed off that.
“Give Lewis the car, he’ll get the job done, and so I predict that he will have a fabulous time at Ferrari.
“He’ll go into a different gear. He’ll be motivated again, and I expect Lewis to challenge for the World Championship in 2025.”
Mansell says Ferrari bound Lewis Hamilton can be ‘eccentric at times’
Hamilton began his F1 career with McLaren in the 2007 season, narrowly losing the title to Kimi Raikkonen by one point in his rookie year.
The next season, he won his first world championship in a dramatic finale at the 2008 Brazillian Grand Prix, snatching the title from the home favourite Felipe Massa.
He shocked the paddock when he left McLaren for Mercedes for the 2013 season, however, he won six titles with the Silver Arrows from the 2014 season onwards.
The former Williams driver added: “Lewis is eccentric at times, but Lewis is a class act. Nobody can take away his achievements.
“Yes, he’s had the most fantastic cars and support and everything else, but Lewis is great. I hope he pulls it off next year.”
Hamilton’s team-mate next year will be Charles Leclerc, who is the lead Ferrari driver in the standings residing in third place with two wins this season.
There is no guarantee that the Mercedes driver will arrive and establish himself as the lead driver.
The Monegasque is a fierce competitor and will not make it easy for Hamilton, but what Ferrari will be more concerned with is making sure they are closer to the pace of the McLarens next season.
READ MORE: Mercedes blocking early Ferrari F1 debut for Lewis Hamilton
