Hamilton Hit With 'Past His Prime' Verdict From Bleekemolen

F1
Tuesday, 16 April 2024 at 18:26
hamilton lewis mercedes latimages
Dutch Racing Driver Michael Bleekemolen doesn't believe Lewis Hamilton would have a chance of achieving eight titles, as he suggested the Briton is past his prime.
Lewis Hamilton is 39 years old, making him the second oldest driver on the F1 grid, behind the 43-year-old Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso.
The seven-time World Champion has had a slump in performance during the first four races of the season and hasn't won a single race since the 2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
While he was the best non-Red Bull driver last year and achieved multiple podiums, showing great speed and consistency, many fans on our social media suggest the Mercedes driver is past his prime and just isn't able to perform how he used to.
It is difficult to measure drivers' performance compared to others in different cars, but Hamilton is also losing head-to-head battles with his teammate 1-3 in qualifying and 0-4 in race results.
Assessing the current form of the seven-time World Champion Michael Bleekemolen told RacingNews365 in a recent interview:

“It’s all just so bad. I think he’s past his prime. It’s all just so bad. Things aren’t going well for him either. I don’t see much point in him anymore.

Four-time World Champion Alain Prost said the 39-year-old driver might get his motivation back in Ferrari and perform better. However, Bleekemolen doesn't see it happening as he said:

"Maybe he will end up in the top two or three again, that could just be possible. That won't be easy, but it would be nice. I just don't think it's going to happen."

Ferrari seems to be getting closer to Red Bull and could potentially be one of the teams fighting for the Championship next year or after the regulations in 2026.
By joining the Italian team, Hamilton might have a chance at achieving his record-breaking eighth World Championship title. But when Bleekemolen was asked whether he believed it would be possible, he responded with a clear "No."