A young British Formula One driver surprised everyone with his racing abilities. The British driver for McLaren showed evident calmness and a keen touch. In 2008, the newcomer marched towards his first world title. While renowned drivers such as Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen put up a fight, the Brit emerged triumphant. This driver’s name has resonated throughout the grandstands for over two decades. He is none other than Lewis Hamilton, a living icon who still competes on the circuit.
Hamilton is well-known for his relentless commitment and enthusiasm for the sport. His enthusiasm on the track is contagious. However, the legend is going through a hard time. Since 2022, the seven-time world champion has lost his charm. Further technical issues with the Mercedes team have exacerbated his anguish. Thus, this has raised questions about Hamilton’s relationship with the Mercedes squad members. An F1 Pundit has recently decoded the dull situation between the two racing giants.
Weird Body Language: F1 Pundit Describes the Ongoing Mercedes-Hamilton Saga
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When a young, talented British racer joined hands with Mercedes in 2013, he had a single world title. However, everything changed after that as he established an unparalleled reign. Lewis Hamilton registered himself in the ‘legendary’ list after winning seven world titles till 2020. Further, the duo of Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton propelled the Brackley-based outfit to an unforeseen domination. As a result, the team consecutively won the world titles, becoming one of the most successful in motorsport.
However, everything took a drastic turn after Hamilton’s runner-up trophy in 2021. The ground effect regulations were implemented, and the Mercedes team went downhill. Since then, the Briton has endured a few of the most disappointing seasons of his career. Further, the technical crew’s inability to counter the aerodynamic woes instigates the feud between the team and Hamilton. As a result, the 39-year-old decided to end his stint at Brackley and signed a contract with Ferrari. Furthermore, this has severely damaged the relationship between him and the team, with little hope for improvement.
Thus, F1 pundit Naomi Schiff decoded Hamilton’s ‘weird body language.’ Schiff opened up about the ongoing chaos during an appearance on the Sky F1 podcast. She pointed out the Monaco GP, where Lewis Hamilton’s remark about his deficit to out-qualify Russell sparked tension. Further, Schiff talked about the psychological aspect of the situation, claiming it to be a ‘divorce’ between the racer and Mercedes.
Moroever, she feels this ‘negative tension’ is inevitable and will remain throughout the season. It is a repercussion of Hamiton’s Ferrari move, and the team might sideline him from the W16 meetings. Ultimately, Schiff feels that despite mutual respect, the doubts have started to ‘creep in,’ making it difficult to finish on a high note. Previously, Hamilton expressed his wish to end the farewell season on a high note. However, given the ongoing conflict, it appears increasingly unlikely to happen.
Hamilton Passes the Torch, Picks Kimi Antonelli As His 2025 Successor
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton
During an interaction with Sky Sports, Lewis Hamilton picked his successor at Mercedes. The seven-time world champion praised Carlos Sainz’s racing abilities, calling him a ‘positive’ for any team. However, he clarified that Sainz might not be part of Toot Wolff’s plan.
Thus, Hamilton feels Wolff should pick a young driver like Kimi Antonelli. He thinks that the team is on a route to reinventing itself; therefore, a young, exciting prospect like Kimi might push them ahead. Further, Toto Wolff also shared a similar sentiment, claiming that Antonelli would be Mercedes’s future.
