Hamilton gets Verstappen warning: ‘Get on bike and hurry to eighth title'

Hamilton’s hopes of claiming a record-breaking eighth world title this year already appear to be in tatters after Mercedes made another dreadful start to the season, with Red Bull’s Verstappen the clear favourite to wrap up his third consecutive drivers’ crown in 2023. 

Speaking on the Formula For Success podcast, the legendary ex-F1 team boss said he fears Hamilton is now in a race against time to surpass the record he jointly holds with Michael Schumacher. 

“He adores and loves his racing, and remember, he’s been doing this since five or six years of age – so I don’t know where he gathers up the total commitment every weekend, to gather up the excitement to keep doing it time and time again,” Jordan said of Hamilton. 

“So I would forgive him if he decided to stop. I’d support him on that. If he decides to go ahead, I want to see that he has at least a chance to fight for races because that eighth World Championship has to be in the back of his mind.

“He knows he’s equalled what Michael Schumacher has, but let’s be very clear about this. We look into the future, if everything stays well with Max, and I’m hoping that it will both mentally, physically and everything to do with the car, then Max is going to hit 10 World Championships – because he’s that young and he’s that good and you know what he’s like, how fast is he? He’s just ridiculous, how good he is.

“So I think Lewis needs to get on his bike and hurry up and get number eight, because it’s soon to be passed up by Max in any case.” 

Jordan recently backed Hamilton - whose current contract with Mercedes expires at the end of the year - to make a sensational switch to Ferrari. 

“Would I say should he go? He has to see how this new development [goes] with the Mercedes and really how truthful or how honest that Toto [Wolff] can be, of what he knows can be developed within the car because it’s going to be a huge ask to get that car up to the level of Red Bull,” Jordan added. 

“And I say the same thing and include all the other cars, including Aston Martin, but in particular with Ferrari, they’re all fighting for second place at the moment. And that’s how I see it happening."