Lewis Hamilton's pursuit of a record-breaking eighth world title has run into a sceptical voice from his own past, with Nico Rosberg arguing that neither the Ferrari nor Hamilton's current form are up to the job this season.
The German, who edged Hamilton to the 2016 crown in one of the sport's most acrimonious team-mate battles before promptly retiring, was asked on the High Performance podcast whether his old adversary could still scale the mountain one more time.
"But to get the championship, the car is not good enough, and his level is not quite there yet, but hopefully he can still improve throughout the season," Rosberg said.
Coming from a man who spent four seasons sharing a Mercedes garage with Hamilton, the assessment carries unusual weight. Rosberg has watched the 41-year-old at his peak — and was on the receiving end of it often enough to know exactly what a fully firing Hamilton looks like.
Crucially, though, he stopped short of dismissing the idea altogether. Pressed on whether Hamilton would be a worthy eighth-time champion, Rosberg replied: "Yes, of course, and he would deserve it." He also offered a more upbeat near-term prediction: "I think he will win a race at least this year."
The standings underline why Rosberg is hedging. Hamilton lies fourth, three points behind Ferrari stablemate Charles Leclerc, with two podiums from the opening five rounds. His most recent rostrum came in Canada, where he finished runner-up to the surging Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes.
There is no doubt the move to Maranello is bearing more fruit in its second year than its first. After a bruising 2025, Hamilton looks increasingly at home in red. But settling in and challenging for a championship are different things, and Rosberg's verdict is that the gap to the sharp end remains too wide to close in a single campaign.
The realistic prize, then, may be a first win in Ferrari colours — something Rosberg clearly believes is coming. For the Scuderia, the broader test is whether they can hand Hamilton and Leclerc a car capable of consistent front-running, rather than the flashes of pace that have defined their season so far. Until they do, talk of a record eighth title is likely to stay exactly that.
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*Originally published on [News Formula One](https://newsformula.one/article/hamilton-eighth-title-rosberg-doubts). Visit for full coverage.*