Lewis Hamilton still has the race pace to win an eighth F1 title, says Karun Chandhok

Lewis Hamilton's qualifying speed might not be what it once was, but his race pace is still good enough to power him to an eighth world title if he's in a competitive car.

That's the view of former F1 racer and Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok, who said that Hamilton could be a major factor in the 2025 championship race if Ferrari are competitive this year.

With the 2025 Formula 1 season fast approaching, the anticipation is starting to build with a reshuffled grid set to produce a fresh new championship battle.

One possible beneficiary of the driver changes is seven-time champion Hamilton, who swapped his underperforming Mercedes for the iconic red of Ferrari.

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At times over the last couple of years, Ferrari have looked like the closest challenger to Red Bull at the front of the F1 grid, but the resurgence of McLaren, coupled with some tactical errors from the team, left them looking back at two seasons of unfulfilled potential at the Maranello team.

But the arrival of Hamilton to partner proven race-winner Charles Leclerc has the focus firmly on Ferrari once again, and F1 analyst and former HRT and Lotus driver Chandhok thinks Hamilton could be a real threat in the championship race this season.

"I think Ferrari made good steps towards the end of the year. I think Lewis will bring new energy into the (team)," he told the Evo India podcast.

Hamilton's energy and professionalism will almost certainly hold the Ferrari team to a higher standard than they've achieved in recent seasons, and Chandhok said that, while the 40-year-old might not be quite as fast in qualifying as he was in his prime, Hamilton still has the pace and racecraft to pilot a competitive Ferrari to race wins and, ultimately, the championship.

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"Is Lewis as fast in qualifying as he used to be? No," he suggested.

"Is he going to be as fast as Charles Leclerc in qualifying? Probably not.

"Is Lewis still capable to win an eighth championship if the car is capable? Yes, he is."

Chandhok said that the evidence of Hamilton's race-winning ability was there for all to see at the British Grand Prix last year, where he produced a virtuoso display to claim an emotional win at Silverstone.

"If I had to pick one race that was my highlight of the year, it would be the British Grand Prix," he said.

"In the middle of the race, I remember looking at the timing cards, I was in the commentary box with Martin (Brundle) and Crofty (David Croft). I remember saying, 'I have no idea who's going to win this race.'

"There are five drivers who could have won that race. Lewis' final stint there was magic. Only Lewis or a Max (Verstappen) or a Fernando (Alonso) have the magic to deliver that kind of performance.

"You saw in Abu Dhabi – quali was a mess, but the race was amazing. The magic is still there on a Sunday, so yeah he's still there."

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Lewis Hamilton still has the race pace to win an eighth F1 title: 'The magic is still there'

By Simon Head | 7:06 AM EST