Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner has joked that Lewis Hamilton will “end up in the Vatican” if he can lead Ferrari back to F1 title glory.
The seven-time world champion will complete a blockbuster switch from Mercedes to join F1’s most famous team next season, where he will partner Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton joins Ferrari aiming to win a record-breaking eighth world title, a feat which would see him move clear of the great Michael Schumacher, who won five consecutive world championships with the Scuderia.
Ferrari have endured a barren 16-year spell without a championship trophy. Their last was the constructors’ title in 2008, while Kimi Raikkonen was the last driver to win a world championship for the team in 2007.
“I think he wants to try to do the magic, to bring Ferrari back to winning championships and that, I think is his drive,” Steiner told the Beyond the Grid podcast.
“I obviously haven’t spoken with him about it, but I can see that was his motivation to go there, try to bring it back.
“’I’m a GOAT [greatest of all time] anyway, you know, I won seven championships. What more can I do?’ At Mercedes, I can win my eighth, maybe, if you’re doing a good job.
“At Ferrari, if I win my eighth, or win a championship for Ferrari, the guy will end up in the Vatican!”
Steiner said he understands the allure of Ferrari for Hamilton, who will be 40 years old when he dons the legendary red overalls for the first time.
“I think Ferrari without Formula 1 is not Ferrari, and Formula 1 without Ferrari is not Formula 1,” Steiner said.
“I think it’s just this magic which this Prancing Horse carries, and if you have the chance to be part of it as a driver, and he’s a good position, he’s very close with Fred Vasseur.
“They know each other, they won a lot in the junior formulas, Lewis and Fred with his team.
“They’re very close, and I think they try to do something together and, if they achieve it, it must be pretty cool for both of them.”
Steiner also backed Leclerc to learn from Hamilton’s vast experience.
“I think what Charles can learn from Lewis is Lewis rarely makes mistakes,” he added.
“He’s a very complete driver. He’s a very calculating, very complete driver. He has seen so much, he has done so much. But also, outside of racing. How he conducts himself, still focusing on racing but doing a lot of other stuff as well, you think how does he do it all?
“But he’s just well prepared and other the years he learned it and if Charles was a clever guy he will look at it and say ‘hey, I can have this success as well’.
“Because driving wise, I think Charles can pull something out of the bag as well. Driving wise, he’s not behind Lewis. But Lewis as a race car driver, is more complete. The speed is there, but he’s more complete.
“Charles because he’s younger, he didn’t have the experience. Lewis has got that and he can learn from him.”
