Gerhard Berger has expressed that Lewis Hamilton winning a world championship with Ferrari would be the "greatest thing" to have ever happened in F1.
Hamilton, after an illustrious 12-year tenure with Mercedes where he secured six world titles and 84 grand prix victories, has now moved to Ferrari for the upcoming season.
His switch to the Italian team, known for its rich racing heritage, is seen as one of the most significant transfers in the sport’s history.
In preparation for his debut, Hamilton has been involved in a series of private tests. He will first drive the 2025 Ferrari at a shakedown in Fiorano on February 19, before the car is transported to Bahrain for pre-season testing.
Berger, commenting on Hamilton’s fit with Ferrari, said in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, “Yes. If Hamilton could become world champion in a Ferrari, that would be the greatest thing that has ever happened in Formula 1 in terms of marketing.”
However, Hamilton’s last few seasons at Mercedes were challenging, with the team struggling under new technical regulations, often seeing their car competitive but not consistently at the front.
Berger has also voiced concerns about Hamilton’s competitiveness against his new teammate, Charles Leclerc.
He stated, “I think Hamilton needs new motivation. He has had two problems: the Mercedes has only been a winning car on exceptional occasions, and he has been in the same team for so long now that only a change of scenery will help. Finishing fifth is not a result that motivates Hamilton.
“He’ll have to grit his teeth again at Ferrari and he could well be at his best once more. On the other hand, I think he’ll struggle against Leclerc’s speed. It’s going to be a very tight race.”
The 2025 Formula 1 season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix, where Hamilton will take on this new challenge over 58 laps of the 5.278 kilometers Albert Park semi-street circuit on March 16.
