Lewis Hamilton has had a career that most can only dream of. Despite now being in the twilight of his career, the 39-year-old has revealed that his “hunger” is still intact. This realization, he admits, has caught him by surprise. In a recent interview with Mercedes, Hamilton said,
“I feel the most motivated and focused I’ve ever been. Every year you come back and feel you’re fitter than ever and all these different things. But I genuinely feel I’ve put more work, more time, and more focus into preparation this year. I never thought that at this point in my life, I would have hunger like I do right now.”
Lewis Hamilton: “Next week….. we get to Bahrain.That is where you see all the other cars, and you can compare and see the detailing between different cars, and other moments…. I feel the most motivated and focused than I’ve ever been.”
SOURCE: Mercedes #F1 pic.twitter.com/0y1y741Uu3
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) February 15, 2024
In the aftermath of the heartbreak at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, Hamilton seemed to have hit a roadblock in his performance. His performances in 2022 left a lot to be desired. However, the Briton bounced back in 2023 with aplomb and comfortably beat his teammate George Russell in the standings.
While the return to form shows his commitment to excel, Mercedes has failed to match it with a car of similar caliber. That may have upset the seven-time world champion who does not have much time left to better that stat. It could also be the reason why he has made a sensational move to Ferrari, a partnership that will begin next year.
He still, however, has a year left on his Mercedes contract and wouldn’t miss a chance to win the eighth championship with them. Both have endured tough times together but certainly know how to dominate the sport.
What Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ prospects in 2024 look like?
Mercedes launched their 2024 car, the W15, on Wednesday with Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Toto Wolff in attendance. This was Hamilton’s 12th and final Mercedes car launch before the Ferrari switch.
The Briton was, however, all praise for the Brackley engineers for the car they had delivered. Speaking during the launch, he admitted the experience was “emotional and very surreal”.
The 2024 car features a slew of radical changes in the design philosophy. The letterbox-shaped under-bite side-pods have made way for a “P” shaped side-pod inlet design. However, it’s the revamped front wing design that has grabbed the spotlight.
An ingenious interpretation of the regulations gave birth to the design that experts believe could cause some friction with the rival teams. While Red Bull remains the team to beat, the Silver Arrows could emerge as the dark horses to dethrone them.
My illustration on the new interesting Mercedes wing: The new Mercedes W15 is a car that I liked, and James Allison confirms himself as an excellent eng. The new front wing is a peculiarity of the W15, with once again a job in a “grey” area of the regulations. The last flap has… pic.twitter.com/X8hKvbAFna
— Rosario Giuliana (@RosarioGiuliana) February 15, 2024
However, these are all assumptions, and in reality, Mercedes have failed to live up to expectations in the last two years. The continued disappointment, many believe, is the reason behind Hamilton’s impending exit.
The other reason could well be the package Ferrari reportedly offered the 7-time champion. Hamilton will earn a whopping $100 million a year with Ferrari.
The Maranello outfit’s chairman, John Elkann, has also proposed the establishment of a $400 million trust fund in the name of Hamilton’s charitable initiatives, such as Mission 44. Moreover, there is also an ambassadorial role on the cards, which the Mercedes board, reportedly, refused to offer to their star driver.
