Rosberg: Hamilton's eighth F1 title 'unlikely' as struggles persist

Nico Rosberg, the 2016 F1 world champion, says Lewis Hamilton would "deserve" an eighth title but acknowledges the seven-time champion faces an uphill battle at Ferrari. Despite showing improvement in 2026, with two podiums in five races, the SF-26 still trails Mercedes, and teammate Charles Leclerc remains a formidable benchmark.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's move to Ferrari was meant to reignite his championship hopes after five years without a title fight. Instead, the Scuderia has struggled to match the frontrunners, and Leclerc's dominance within the team has raised questions about whether Hamilton can ever achieve his ultimate goal in red.

The details:

• Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Rosberg said Hamilton "would deserve" an eighth title but called it unlikely this season.
• Car not good enough: Rosberg noted that Ferrari's car still falls short of the benchmark team (Mercedes), and Hamilton's own level "is not quite there yet."
• Leclerc factor: Charles Leclerc is "at the peak of his ability" and "one of the greatest drivers of this generation," making Hamilton's task even tougher.
• Real struggles: Even top earners like Hamilton face intense pressure—Rosberg described last year as "horrible" for the Briton, with Italy "slowly turning against him."
• Rosberg expects Hamilton to win at least one race this year but stressed that a championship challenge requires more.

What's next:

• Rosberg hopes Hamilton can continue to improve as the season progresses, especially under the new regulations.
• With Ferrari's development rate unclear, a single race win would be a realistic target, while a title bid likely remains out of reach unless the team makes a significant leap.