Although Red Bull has no role to play in Lewis Hamilton’s decision to snub Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025, they yet seem to be enjoying themselves. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko recently took a jibe at Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff regarding the same. The 80-year-old has not forgotten the time when Wolff claimed that nothing would take Hamilton away from Mercedes.
In a recent interview with oe24.at Marko was asked to share his thoughts about some remarks Wolff once passed. As per the interviewer, “Wolff said not long ago that he was so close to Hamilton that no piece of paper would fit between the two…”
Marko did not even wait for the interviewer to finish his question and replied, “but a Ferrari contract would“. However, it is pertinent to note that Hamilton’s move to Ferrari not only caught Mercedes off guard. Soon after all parties involved confirmed the same, several experts discussed how barely anyone saw this coming.
F1 expert Lawrence Barretto has stated that what swayed Hamilton away from Mercedes is simply Ferrari’s keenness to offer everything he demanded. The Italian outfit is all set to offer the Briton a whopping $435 million deal, among several other benefits.
Ferrari is also ready to offer Hamilton an ambassadorial role for the next ten years and help him advance his social initiatives, such as Mission 44. While Ferrari seemed to have pulled out a masterstroke, some may even look at Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes as a betrayal.
After all, the 39-year-old himself has claimed on various occasions in the past that he wanted to retire at Mercedes. However, with Hamilton set to join Ferrari in 2025, this year could be a strange moment for both him and the rest of his Mercedes team.
Why will Lewis Hamilton find it awkward to spend his last season with Mercedes?
Only a few drivers have showcased as much loyalty as Lewis Hamilton has towards Mercedes. The Briton has spent over a decade at Brackley and is now suddenly going to the realization that this partnership is all set to end this season.
Moreover, F1 expert Karun Chandhok has also cited another reason why Hamilton may find it awkward to spend his last season with Mercedes. The Indian expert explained how the Silver Arrows are unlikely to include the seven-time champion in their development talks, knowing that the 39-year-old will no longer be in the team in 2025.
However, Toto Wolff has made it clear that he can trust Hamilton. The Austrian believes that Hamilton is a professional, and hence, does not fear any kind of espionage. While Mercedes may yet include Hamilton in their development discussions for 2025 and beyond, they may provide him a cold shoulder.
Since George Russell is the man who is expected to stay at Mercedes for the long term, the team may choose to prefer him for strategy this season. However, Wolff has made it clear that this will not happen either.
