Former driver Johnny Herbert speculates that Lewis Hamilton might pivot to music and film after hanging up his F1 helmet. The seven-time world champion stirred up rumors about his future when he suggested Ferrari should ‘change driver’ before the Hungarian Grand Prix.

After a 12-year stint with Mercedes, Hamilton switched to Ferrari, hoping the move would put him back in the running for the World Championship.

Yet, after 14 Grands Prix with his new team, he’s still chasing his first podium finish and now lags behind teammate Charles Leclerc by 42 points. Following the qualifiers in Hungary, Hamilton labeled his performance as “useless” and hinted that Ferrari might need to “change driver” to boost their results.

At 40, the Brit is nearing the end of his career, and if he can’t close the gap on Leclerc in the remaining 10 rounds this year, the F1 icon might decide to retire.

Herbert told Thunderpick: “At some stage, he was looking at investing into Chelsea wasn’t he? But most of the stuff that Lewis has done in the past has been stateside.”

“The music is something that has always been on his mind, and maybe that’s something he wants to go into. He’s obviously done a little bit with the F1 movie with Brad Pitt.

“So maybe it’s that type of thing he would find enjoyable. Maybe it’s going down the movie line, and maybe it’s going down the music line as well.”

Hamilton has already dipped his toes into the realm of sports ownership. In August 2022, he secured an ownership stake in the Denver Broncos NFL franchise, becoming part of the consortium headed by Walmart chief Rob Walton.

According to Herbert, sports ownership represents another possible path for Hamilton to pursue. Prior to his commitment to the Denver Broncos, he participated in a group of prominent athletes who pledged financial backing for Sir Martin Broughton’s bid to acquire Premier League team Chelsea.

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“America has always been a big thing for him, so maybe there is a link there,” Herbert continued. “Maybe there’s a link with a football club out there in the States. I always feel it’ll very much be state-based, whatever he will probably do after his career.

“Soccer here is experiencing the same surge that F1 has been witnessing. Tom Brady at Birmingham, Ryan Reynolds at Wrexham. I know the Premier League has always been a big thing.

“But it just seems, compared to anywhere else on the planet, that football there just seems to still be still growing and getting that interest from further afield. If he looked over here, then it would probably go back to the Chelsea link. There’s something close to his heart about it.”