Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan has advised Ferrari to back out of the deal with Lewis Hamilton. Eddie urged the seven-time world champion to retire from the sport if he had no self-confidence left, adding that Lewis has a legacy in the sport, and should leave with some pride.

Hamilton agreed to a multi-year deal with Ferrari in February of this year, which turned out to be a historic and shocking driver transfer. He opted out of his extension deal with Mercedes to fulfill his childhood dream. The Italian team parted ways with Carlos Sainz to bring a 105-time race winner on board.

While the transfer was shocking, Mercedes’ downfall post-2021 likely prompted the 39-year-old to seek a change in the final phase of his successful F1 career.

Besides the childhood dream, the monetary upsides also played a huge role in Hamilton’s swift decision-making.

Bringing up Hamilton’s comments of ‘not being fast anymore’ after an underwhelming qualifying session in the Qatar GP, Eddie Jordan lashed out at the veteran. He said that lack of self-confidence is an alarming sign for Ferrari and that they should find a way out to terminate the contract (via Planet F1):

“And at the moment I heard Lewis [admit that he’s] not fast enough anymore, if I was Ferrari I would say close the book, find the way out. That’s it. If you don’t believe 100 per cent, you’re f**ked,” said Jordan.
“A little message to you, Lewis: always remember in life, you’ve got your music, you’ve got your fashion, you’ve got all sorts of other things. Always, always think about the best exit. And this is the time to take the money off the table. Go,” he added.
The Brit went over 900 days without a race win before he secured a victory at the British Grand Prix in 2024. He went on to win the Belgian GP as well after his teammate George Russell faced a disqualification.

However, towards the end of the season, Hamilton looked disappointed and drained. With the W15 not having the desired pace and performance, the seven-time world champion was constantly beaten by his teammate in the qualifying rounds.

Ralf Schumacher fears Lewis Hamilton not meeting his commitment to Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton at F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Image Source: Getty)
Lewis Hamilton at F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Image Source: Getty)
Former F1 driver turned analyst Ralf Schumacher fears that Lewis Hamilton might not fulfill his commitment to Ferrari. Having signed a multi-year deal beginning in 2025, Ralf said the seven-time world champion could terminate his contract if he loses the hunger to win (via the Planet F1):

“The danger is there if everything goes negatively.I think that when Lewis realises that he is no longer living up to his own standards, he will say so,” Ralf said.
Lewis Hamilton is yet to formally complete his transfer to Ferrari. A Mercedes farewell tour postponed his post-season testing in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. Moreover, with the off-season in place, the Brit is likely to take some time off before visiting Maranello for his first of the many trips to Italy.

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Edited by Shirsh