Felipe Massa says Lewis Hamilton’s age would have convinced him not to sign the seven-time world champion to Ferrari for the 2025 F1 season.

Hamilton announced earlier this year that he would join Ferrari on a multi-year contract starting in F1 2025, ending his long and successful partnership with Mercedes.

Felipe Massa expresses his concern over Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari

The British driver won six of his seven world championships with Mercedes, as well as becoming the first man in history to surpass 100 Grand Prix wins and pole positions.

Hamilton, who made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2007, will celebrate his 40th birthday next month, making the seven-time world champion the second-oldest driver on the current grid behind Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso, 43.

Despite returning to winning ways with victories at Silverstone and Spa, the 2024 F1 season proved to be one of the most challenging of Hamilton’s F1 career as he struggled to match Mercedes teammate George Russell in qualifying conditions.

As a result, Hamilton admitted he was “not fast anymore” at the penultimate race of the season in Qatar.

Massa, who lost the World Championship to Hamilton by a single point in 2008, believes the driver’s list of achievements makes him a great signing for Ferrari.

However, he admitted he has reservations about Hamilton’s advancing age, pointing to Michael Schumacher’s struggles after his return to F1 with Mercedes in 2010.

Massa told Brazilian publication Estadao: “If I was asked if I would hire Hamilton, as the head of Ferrari, as a driver, yes, I would, without a doubt.

“Because of the talent he has. He is one of the most incredible drivers in F1.

“But because of his age, maybe not. Because of his age, if you look at sport, age matters.

“And we have to understand how much age weighs on him in this situation or not.

“I’m talking about myself, these days I need to train a lot more physically than I used to.

“It is much more difficult to recover physically after a difficult race or an intense training session.

“Age takes its toll in some areas, that’s normal.

“Age is something that has weighed negatively on several drivers, as it did with Schumacher.”

Massa’s comments come after former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan claimed Ferrari chairman John Elkann “must have stones in his head” for replacing Carlos Sainz with Hamilton for F1 in 2025.

Jordan urged Ferrari to back out of the deal to sign Hamilton, arguing the driver’s admission he is no longer quick enough should set off alarm bells at Maranello.

And he claimed Hamilton should bow out gracefully from F1, suggesting a lacklustre season at Ferrari risks damaging his legacy.

On the Formula For Success podcast, he said, “If you don’t believe 100 percent, you’re screwed.

“And the moment I heard Lewis [admit that] he is no longer fast enough, if I were Ferrari I would say to close the book, find the way out. That’s it.

“A little message for you, Lewis: always remember that in life you have your music, you have your fashion, you have all kinds of other things.

“You are, in the opinion of most people, the greatest pilot of all time. Please remember what I am going to tell you.

“Always, always think of the best way out. And this is the time to take the money off the table. Go away.”

“You are an incredible ambassador. We absolutely adore you.”

“But don’t put yourself in a position where we think less of you because you’re marking time at Ferrari. That’s all I’ll say.”