Former Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine said he doesn’t expect Lewis Hamilton to achieve his eight Formula 1 World Championship.
Irvine told La Gazzetta dello Sport that “the era of triumphs for Hamilton and Mercedes is now over, but Lewis is still a very good driver, very focused on objectives and eager to obtain results.”
Hamilton achieving his eight title means he would break the record of Michael Schumacher of seven championships, which he equaled in 2020.
The next year, he battled for the title with Verstappen until the very end of the season in Abu Dhabi, which ended in controversy due to the performance of then race director Michael Masi.
The change in technical regulations in 2022 further affected the Silver Arrows massively and prevented the British champion from claiming another season victory.
“He [Hamilton] is still doing a great job behind the wheel of an F1 car,” Irvine added. “Also the comparison with Verstappen is very tough, because Max is younger, has a bit more speed and enormous belief in his abilities.
“Hamilton’s prospects will depend on how competitive Mercedes will be in 2024. With his experience he has shown that he knows how to seize every opportunity that presents itself both in qualifying and in the race.
“However, I doubt he will be able to win the championship again, realizing his dream of winning his eight title,” he concluded.