“I Really Had High Hopes”- Lewis Hamilton Foresaw Long and Difficult Year With Mercedes Before 2023 Season Started

Despite finishing P3 in the drivers’ standings, Lewis Hamilton had a suboptimal season in 2023, failing to win a Grand Prix for the second year in a row. However, the dismal performances weren’t a surprise for the 7-time world champion, as he foresaw a difficult year ahead of him, even before racing began.

 

#AbuDhabiGP | Lewis Hamilton is asked if saying goodbye to the W14 puts a smile on his face: “Not particularly. Not particularly.” pic.twitter.com/Gl2KxALUHW

— deni (@fiagirly) November 26, 2023

Reports coming in from F1i.com claim the 38-year-old was well aware of the upcoming challenges he would face in 2023. They also quote Hamilton as he claimed he had high hopes for this season, but the car’s problems made it a difficult season for him, much like in 2022.

“In February, when we do a download of where the car is going, I was a little more apprehensive, because the previous year it was like: ‘The car is amazing, it’s unique, no-one’s going to have anything like it.’ And then we get to the first test…”

“I remember it feeling exactly the same. And that definitely was not a great feeling. I really had high hopes.”

After seeing the car’s blueprint in February and driving it in the first couple of races, Hamilton knew the car wasn’t good enough. He revealed that he told his engineer they were “on the wrong track” with the car, but no one listened to him. Hamilton asked for certain changes to the car, which did not happen. Naturally, it led to a frustrating period within the team. It made Hamilton want to gather all of the team’s engineers and have big talks with them, but the Briton chose to keep his head down and work with whatever he had.

Yet, Lewis Hamilton had a remarkable season

Beginning the season on a tough note, Hamilton’s resilience and experience were on display for the rest of the season, getting consistent points for his team. On the back of six podiums and 234 points, the Briton finished P3 in the drivers’ standings, greatly helping Mercedes secure P2 in the constructors’ championship despite not winning a single race in 2023.

 

Six podiums, 234 points and P3 in the Drivers’ Standings!

Quite the achievement for @LewisHamilton in 2023. pic.twitter.com/kM63YZmuyr

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 29, 2023

Furthermore, the Briton signed a two-year extension deal with the Silver Arrows, showcasing the team’s faith in him. Despite often being at a crossroads with his engineers this season, Hamilton also believes in the vision of the team and wants to continue working with them for as long as he can. Heading into 2024, the Briton would hope that his faith evolves into something materialistic and that he can get back to winning ways and achieve win number 104, which he has been chasing since 2021.