Silly season
In the frenzied world of Formula 1, topics of discussion are never lacking. And if the track doesn’t provide them, given the fact that in these first four rounds of the 2023 season we have seen an undisputed dominance of Red Bull over the rest of the competition, then the market can.
One day ahead before the start of on-track activity in the first of the three American rounds that this championship will offer, in fact, the US TV channel ESPN published the report of a long interview with Lewis Hamilton which was held during the last weekend in Baku. During the chat, the seven-time world champion, who hasn’t won a GP since the Jeddah race in 2021, also agreed to talk about his future, which has often been a key topic in the media in recent months.
Contract expiring
Lewis Hamilton’s contract with Mercedes will expire at the end of the current season, and he has not yet renewed with the Silver Arrows. This timing, combined with the British driver’s advanced age and the unexciting sporting results achieved by Mercedes in the last season and a half, have given rise to numerous speculations. Despite denials by the British champion himself, there has been talk on several occasions of his possible retirement at the end of the year or – an even more sensational scenario – of his transfer to Ferrari, perhaps in a swap that could bring Charles Leclerc to Brackley. This is Fantasy Formula 1, at least for now.
Recurring thought
But like any legend, there is some truth to the imaginative possibility of a Lewis Hamilton dressed in red arising from a real curiosity on the part of #44 for the Maranello team. The Mercedes man himself revealed it, confirming the belief that all drivers, sooner or later, imagine themselves defending the colors of the Prancing Horse:
“I would be lying if I said I had never thought of ending my career elsewhere,” Lewis Hamilton acknowledged. “I’ve thought and watched the Ferrari drivers on the screens on the track and obviously wondered what it would be like to be in red. I started at McLaren and I like to think I’ll always be part of the McLaren family. I was 13 at the time and imagined what it would be like if one day I was at McLaren.” – he pointed out.
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Total loyalty
However, after leaving Woking, Hamilton found his true home under the three-pointed star: “Then I arrived at my team, Mercedes, and this is my home. I’m happy where I am. I haven’t signed a contract yet, but we’re working on it.” So there’s no chance of changing scenery or hanging up the helmet. The 38-year-old British champion is also certain that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is not considering replacing him with another driver: “If Toto were talking to someone, he’d tell me, and vice versa,” Lewis Hamilton guaranteed. “I’ve never talked to others behind my team’s back just to see if I could raise the bar (of the offer). I’ve never played that game, and neither has he,” he concluded.
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