Lewis Hamilton honestly admits that he does not yet know exactly how he will combine his retirement from Mercedes with his upcoming switch to Ferrari. According to the British driver himself, his situation is made more difficult because the news became known so early in the season. Hamilton further indicates that he is currently focusing mainly on the German team and hopes to end his Mercedes chapter on a high.
Even before the 2024 Formula 1 season had even started, the news emerged that Hamilton will drive for Ferrari in 2025. The Briton has now started his twelfth and final season at Mercedes and is slowly starting to think about his career after the German team. Mercedes itself is also slowly starting to think about Hamilton’s departure, and therefore does not want to reveal too much information about next year’s car to the seven-time world champion.
Both Hamilton and Mercedes now indicate that they will start trying to find a balance between the collaboration for this year and the secrecy for next year. The British driver is also already thinking about the moment when he ‘must’ talk to Ferrari and how that moment will arrive. “I think it will start with a conversation with Toto (Wolff, ed.), because I don’t know how to navigate that,” Hamilton told Autosport about his current situation. “I’ve never been in this position at this time of year.”
Hamilton’s previous switch from McLaren to Mercedes was only announced much later in the season. ‘When I left McLaren it was towards the end of the season. I only went to Mercedes in December, when I tried on my first seat, after the season had ended. I don’t know exactly how I’m going to approach it yet.’
Hamilton hopes to close the Mercedes chapter well
Hamilton emphasized that his priorities at the moment are still with the Silver Arrows, especially as he is still keen to end his drought of more than two years. Hamilton last won a race in 2021, at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “Right now I want to end here with a good feeling,” Hamilton expressed his wishes. ‘So all my energy goes into this. Of course I’m looking forward to the future. But right now we are having a hard time. That’s my challenge.’
The British driver hopes to motivate his Mercedes team to continue improving for the remainder of the 2024 season. ‘That’s where all my energy goes, to find out how we can get ourselves back to the top. How can I work with the boys? How can I give better debriefings, how can I give them better direction to fight at the front again? I’m a fighter first and foremost, so I want to win. Just thinking about next year isn’t going to help me.’
