Lewis Hamilton urged to make Ferrari switch in historic ‘swap deal’
Hamilton’s future at Mercedes appears uncertain after another slow start to the season
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Your support makes all the difference.Eddie Jordan has said that “Formula 1 needs Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari” as speculation continues about the driver’s future at Mercedes team.
The seven-time world champion has endured another slow start to the season, with the team once again off the pace and struggling to match Red Bull.
Hamilton is reportedly yet to commit his future to Mercedes, who he has driven for since 2013, beyond the close of the 2023 season.
The British driver has, however, indicated his desire to continue chasing the eighth Drivers’ Championship that would take him beyond Michael Schumacher as the outright most successful racer in F1 history.
For that reason, former team owner Jordan believes Hamilton could be tempted to Ferrari, who could see a proven winner as an upgrade over current drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
“Formula 1 needs Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari and Ferrari needs Lewis Hamilton,” Jordan told OLBG.
“Hamilton should look to go to another Championship-winning team, but the drama is who is going to move aside?
“Red Bull would not let Sergio Perez for Hamilton because they try to encourage drivers who have been through their teams to try and reach the top like Max Verstappen did.
“Hamilton is a McLaren man, but I can't see him going back there because of the position they're in. The only other places I see Hamilton going is Ferrari or staying at Mercedes.
“At the moment, there's no contract signed and [Mercedes team principal] Toto Wolff said if he was Hamilton he would consider leaving. What would I be thinking if I was Hamilton, am I really loved here?
“I don't know Wolff's point of view on the situation but I believe when he says he wants Hamilton to stay. But the Mercedes is not good enough for Hamilton.”
Red Bull’s Perez and Max Verstappen have split the first two races of the 2023 season between them, with Hamilton finishing fifth in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Ferrari provided Verstappen’s closest chaser last season in Charles Leclerc, but the Monegasque driver faded after a bright start and never truly mounted a true title challenge.
Jordan wonders if a swap deal that would see Leclerc move to Mercedes and Hamilton fill the resulting vacancy at Ferrari could actually suit all parties.
“Charles Leclerc is very much a Mercedes type of driver, and to see Leclerc and George Russell fight it out would be great,” the Irishman, who owned an eponymous constructor between 1991 and 2005, said.
“That could be a deal in heaven. I'm sure everyone in F1 would love to see a swap between Hamilton and Leclerc, that would be mouth-watering.
“When I dream of Hamilton going to Ferrari, it is just a thought because he has won seven world championship titles with Mercedes so he might want to stay. Then again, all the great drivers would feel the pull of a great team like Ferrari, that's where I think Hamilton should end up.”
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