Wolff: Hamilton could secure eighth title with Ferrari

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff thinks that Lewis Hamilton can secure his eighth championship title with Ferrari as the Austrian opened up on the seven-time world champion's switch to the Scuderia.

Lewis Hamilton announced his shock departure from Mercedes on the 1st of February. The announcement caught the Formula One community by surprise as the seven-time world champion was going to race for the Brackley-based outfit until the end of 2025.

However, the Briton elected to see out the current year and seek for a new challenge at Ferrari next year. Hamilton is statistically the most successful driver of the history of Formula One, but he is tied with the great German seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher on the number of world championship titles.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said that he thinks Hamilton can succeed at Ferrari, but it will depend on how competitive the Scuderia will be in the coming years.

“He said he was going to stay and then he decided to go. But people change their minds and circumstances change and you have to respect that. Today’s opinion might be different tomorrow and I have no hard feelings.”

“If Ferrari is able to give Lewis a competitive car, he can win a world championship. There is no doubt about that. I will always have a personal relationship with Lewis and I will look back at the great times, professionally and personally.

“When Lewis moves to Ferrari he becomes a competitor but I will always wish him happy days," Wolff said to the PA news agency.

After announcing his departure from Mercedes, Hamilton said that it was the hardest decision of his career to leave the Anglo-German after their successful spell that saw the Briton secure six world championship title in seven years.

“Mercedes has been a huge part of my life since I was 13 years old, so this decision has been the hardest I’ve ever had to make. I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve achieved together and I’m very grateful for the hard work and dedication of everyone I have worked with over the years and of course Toto, for his friendship, guidance and leadership.

"Together we have won titles, broken records and become the most successful Driver-Team partnership in F1 history. And of course I cannot forget Niki who was a huge supporter and who I still miss everyday,"