Hamilton's Age Sparks Massa's Doubts About Ferrari Fit

Massa raises concerns about Hamilton joining Ferrari, highlighting the potential impact of age on the seven-time champion’s performance.

Felipe Massa states that Lewis Hamilton’s age would have deterred him from signing the seven-time world champion for the 2025 season.

Hamilton announced in early 2024 that he would join Ferrari on a multi-year deal starting in 2025, ending his long and successful partnership with Mercedes F1.

The British driver, who won six of his seven world championships with Mercedes, became the first in history to surpass 100 Grand Prix victories and 100 pole positions.

Hamilton, who debuted in F1 with McLaren in 2007, will turn 40 in January. The seven-time champion is the second-oldest driver on the current grid, behind Fernando Alonso at 43.

Massa, who lost the 2008 world title to Hamilton by a single point, believes the driver’s record makes him an excellent candidate for Ferrari.

However, he admitted to having reservations about Hamilton’s age, citing the struggles Michael Schumacher faced after returning to F1 with Mercedes in 2010.

“If you asked me whether I would sign Hamilton, as Ferrari team principal, as a driver, yes, I would, without a doubt. Because of his talent. He is one of the most incredible drivers in F1.”

“But because of his age, maybe not. If you look at the sport, age matters. And we need to understand how much age weighs on him in this situation or not.”

“Speaking for myself, these days I need to train much more physically than before. It’s much harder to recover physically after a tough race or intense training.”

“Age takes a toll in certain areas; it’s normal. Age has negatively affected several drivers, as it did with Schumacher.”