The 2021 Abu Dhabi GP fiasco had a huge impact on F1 as a sport. Many Lewis Hamilton fans still feel awful and oppose the happenings of that night at Yas Marina. So much so that Hamilton’s friend, Will.I.am, also cited the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP as an unresolved wound for many of the Briton’s fans.
Appearing in a chat on the YouTube channel F1 Briefings, the American rapper gave his perspective on the 2021 season finale. He highlighted how Hamilton can bounce back and get his redemption while gaining back all that he lost in 2021.
The rapper stated, “Anybody will struggle with something being snatched. Just a matter of time for him (Hamilton). He just has to figure it out once and history is made. I say we just let the master do what he is really good at.”
Will.I.am then also gave a great analogy of a student scoring an imperfect test score to give context to Hamilton’s situation. The rapper stated how people may laugh at a student even if they were to get a 9/10 on a test for getting that one question wrong. However, he believes that eventually, that student will get all 10/10 right.
In the context of the seven-time champion’s longstanding career of glory, Will.I.am hit the nail on the head. The raper believes many people are even struggling to get to what the Briton has achieved so far, let alone surpass him.
Thus, Will.I.am believes that Hamilton has already made history and whatever comes ahead of this will be a bonus reward for his persistence, as he has nothing more to prove.
Will.I.am believes Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton can bounce back in 2024
Will.I.am also praised the excellent team members Mercedes has on the technical side of things. He highlighted how the entire operation of the Brackley outfit knows what’s at stake. Hence, with a powerful line-up like Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, he feels Mercedes can turn things around in 2024.
Apart from the drivers, its engineering team is one of the German outfit’s biggest strengths. After James Allison’s return, there are better prospects of their car concept being the most potent than it has been since 2022. Allison was a key figure in Mercedes’ heyday of winning championships from 2014 to 2021.
Thus, Toto Wolff is confident that his team can deliver better potential with the W15. Wolff also aims to galvanize the team’s mindset as they wish to take down Red Bull. While on the performance front, it may be difficult to edge the team from Milton Keynes, Mercedes can be “fearless” to gain a mental edge.
Adding to this trio of excellence is the fiery nature of George Russell. Will.I.am thinks Russell is a worthy addition to the team and is going to be pivotal in their turnaround. The 25-year-old has indeed shown performance equal to Hamilton’s level and at times even bettered him.
For 2024, Will.I.am is keeping realistic hopes from Mercedes. He understands that challenging for the championship may be out of reach. Still, he expects Lewis Hamilton to win a race. The American highlighted that it will be historical if the 39-year-old Briton can do so for both the team and himself.
