Formula 1

“I’m going to give it absolutely everything for these last few races” : Lewis Hamilton wants to leave Mercedes on a positive note To say things have not worked out well for the Briton this season would be an understatement. On what was looking like a solid last season as a 39-year-old with the Silver Arrows, it has been anything but that since the summer break ended, and the Brazil GP clearly summarized everything that has gotten wrong with Lewis Hamilton this season. Lewis Hamilton finished tenth place in Sao Paulo as he described it as a ‘disaster of a weekend’ on the team radio. “If this is the last time I get to perform it was a shame it wasn’t great but [I am] grateful for you.” “In the moment, that’s how I felt. I didn’t really want to come back after that weekend but that’s only natural.” Hamilton said when asked about his comments on the team radio. From poor qualification rounds to car troubles, it seems like something or the other has always bothered the Briton to fully unleash his known potential of finishing races well while climbing up the rankings as he goes. Currently seventh in the driver’s rankings, it is certainly not what the Briton hoped his final season with Mercedes would be, where he won six of his seven world championships while transcending the whole sport on his way to become the greatest F1 driver of all time.  Ferrari and 2025 cannot come sooner for the Briton, but before that he has some unfinished business left with the German team. “I want to give them the best that I can in these next races” : Lewis Hamilton is not backing down without a fight The 39-year-old seems hell bent on completing his Mercedes chapter in the best way he can, as after the disappointment in Sao Paulo, he revealed how he still loves the whole team regardless of him leaving, and that he wants to give it his all in the final races. “In the heat of the moment, for sure I’d much rather be on the beach and chilling and ‘I don’t need to do this’.” the Briton said after the Brazil GP. “It wasn’t a great feeling in that moment but I’m here, I’m standing strong and I’m going to give it absolutely everything for these last few races. Nothing can take me down. I’ve got a team that I genuinely still love and even though I’m leaving, I want to give them the best that I can in these next races. If they provide a car that wants to stay on track, then hopefully we’ll have a better result.” the seven-time world champion added. Winning or losing in these last few races would not really affect Hamilton’s legacy, as he is without a doubt the greatest driver of at least his generation. But the Briton’s hunger even at 39 years of age is what differentiates him with the rest. It is also worthy to note that he won the British and Belgian GP this year which showcases how he still has what it takes to be on top. Regardless of how this season has turned out to be for Lewis Hamilton; Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi await him as the final stretch of his Mercedes chapter has arrived. Also Read: “I heard the bells ringing two weeks before” : Toto Wolff reveals the moment he came to know Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes for Ferrari

“I heard the bells ringing two weeks before” : Toto Wolff reveals the moment he came to know Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes for Ferrari While the rumors surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari were already present back in previous seasons, in the end they were just rumors, as nobody thought that the Briton would switch teams, that too at his age. We all know how the announcement of Hamilton joining the Prancing Horses broke the internet, but it was recently revealed that not even Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff had much of an idea about this movie, as he came to know just a few weeks before the public as well, and not in the best of ways. On the ‘High Performance Podcast’, Toto Wolff explained that he did not get to know about the news from Lewis Hamilton himself, but outgoing Ferrari man’s father, Carlos Sainz Sr., two weeks before the Briton attempted to break the news. “I heard the bells ringing two weeks before [Lewis told me the news]. The old man Sainz called me and said, ‘This is what’s happening’.” Wolff said. “And then there were a few drivers that rang me up that didn’t before, so I thought, ‘Okay, there’s something going on there’. I sent a text to [Ferrari boss] Fred Vasseur saying, ‘You’re taking our driver?’ – didn’t get any response, very unusual for Fred, he’s a good friend. So, I saw it coming.” the Mercedes boss added. Toto Wolff speaks about contacting Lewis Hamilton to change his mind and important advice from Pep Guardiola Wolff was obviously as surprised as any hearing about this move, but explained that he did not even bother initiating any contact with the Briton in those two weeks, as he wanted Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur and Hamilton himself to let him know what exactly was going on. When quizzed about if he took this decision of Hamilton’s to heart, the Austrian revealed that he had much bigger issues that he needed to handle during that point of time. “I think that was a situation that I just wanted to see how it was happening, and leave it to him and to Fred to tell me that they were doing this.” said Wolff. “I had much worse in my life happening, like real drama and trauma, this is not even moving the needle. Lewis is a friend and will forever be a friend – we’ve had 12 years in the team together, so that was just an unusual thought of ‘this is ending’, but not challenging in whichever way. “So no, that wasn’t a problem. It’s just a new situation, it has risks and opportunities – risks in the sense [of] how do I inform the sponsors as quickly as possible – because it was leaking – and on the other side, what are we doing about next year?” the 52-year-old added. The Austrian also addressed on the fact of why he did not even try to persuade Hamilton into staying, and brought in key parallels from a conversation he had with his friend a while back, football icon and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. “I think if someone decides to go then you need to let them go, I had a chat with Pep Guardiola a long time ago – he’s a friend – and I said, ‘What do you do if this and that player leaves?’, and he said, ‘What do you mean [what do] I do?’. “I said, ‘Well, do you try to convince them to stay?’. [He said], ‘No. If somebody thinks he can play elsewhere better or earn more, you’ve just got to let them go’. “And it is something I embrace in the same way here – somebody wants to go then let’s make it as good as possible for each of the parties.” Wolff revealed. In the end, it all did work out for Wolff and co., as they have always been quite transparent with the Briton. Mercedes and Wolff now embark onto a new era in the team’s history, with the young gun duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell to take charge in 2025. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

“In terms of style it is similar to mine” : Kimi Antonelli believes that him and Lewis Hamilton have the same driving style With Lewis Hamilton on the exit ramp for Mercedes, it is time for Andrea Kimi Antonelli to take up his mantle. You would think that when the Briton announced his transfer to Ferrari, Team Principal Toto Wolff would do everything in his power to replace the legend with a star signing. While he admitted that he wanted Max Verstappen initially, it is believed that even Wolff knew that Lewis Hamilton could never be ‘replaced’. In came Kimi Antonelli, who has been rising through the junior rankings, and now at the age of 18 will be the third youngest driver to debut in Formula 1. Well, the main issue does not arrive from his age, or even his inexperience, but who he is replacing; a seven-time world champion. While Toto Wolff believes that the Italian is the “perfect choice to start the team’s next chapter”, some fans and even analysts claim that this move is too soon for comfort. The 18-year-old knows that stepping into the great Lewis Hamilton’s shoes is almost an impossible task, but he is determined to start off his own fresh chapter regardless. Kimi Antonelli talks about Lewis Hamilton, Monza crash, and relationship with George Russell In a recent interview with Gazzetta, the Italian covered a variety of topics. In addition to having similar driving style, he revealed how Hamilton tries to remain in contact with him and helps him understand important information. “He’s very kind and talks to me a lot. And in terms of style it is similar to mine, with the car having a lot of understeer. I was in Singapore and listening to him talk to the engineers I learned a lot.” said Antonelli. “What I’ll have to get used to is hearing all the engineers on headphones, because I’m someone who doesn’t speak much. But if they speak it’s to give useful information, I’ll have to learn the procedures well. If you touch a wrong button it’s a mess. A seat with a steering wheel will soon arrive at my house to learn the departures and the various procedures. Also, because you have to know where each button is without having to look.” the Italian added. Antonelli also talked about the tests he had to participate in which landed him at Mercedes, and revealed that his pace was the main factor behind it. “The great speed I had right away. I struggled at the beginning with the race pace, but after a test in Spa they saw a clear step forward and were convinced. And two days later the call came that they were taking me for 2025. Today in F1 you have a lot of data to look at, there is live telemetry and they can tell you what to do, but they let me do a lot. At Spa I did a great test where I learned to anticipate tyre degradation.” the 18-year-old revealed. Addressing his very first laps in the F1 weekend in Monza, where his infamous crash made him end the run early, the Italian said that he has two more opportunities in Mexico and Abu Dhabi. He also talked about his relationship with George Russell, who was not the happiest after his future teammate’s crash. The youngster would like to go head-to-head with him next year. “That first lap was a unique emotion with all those people in the stands, then I got… naughty. Now I will have two more opportunities in Mexico and Abu Dhabi.” said Antonelli. “Russell? He wasn’t very happy, but before going out to the Parabolica I had gone fast. I have a good relationship with George, he hasn’t given me great advice, but for now everything is fine. But next year I want to beat him.” The youngster added. With Mercedes and Toto Wolff backing him and George Russell being a more than capable mentor for Kimi Antonelli, things look set for his debut season next year, as the F1 and especially the Silver Arrows fans are waiting for the youngster’s debut, which will mark a new era for the German team. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

“It doesn’t feel good” : Lewis Hamilton speaks on his poor form in his final run with Mercedes Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected transfer to Ferrari has been hyped up the whole season, but with just a few months away from dawning the Italian colors, the Briton has found himself in a bit of a stiff. It has been anything but a dream final run with Mercedes for Hamilton, who has spent the better half of his career here, winning six world championships along the way. From what started as a promising season where the Briton won two races, the summer break changed everything for the whole German team. Let alone being victorious, the 39-year-old has failed to even reach the podium in the last seven races. Meanwhile, his teammate George Russell, who has had the upper hand against him when it came to qualifying, has himself had just one. The AMG Petronas now find themselves fourth in the constructors’ rankings while Russell and Hamilton are in the sixth and seventh spot respectively. With just three races to go, it looks like all is done for the German team this time around. “I’m doing the best with what I’ve got with the kit” : Lewis Hamilton The Briton has had a frustrating time with his beloved team post summer break, whether it is the unusual calls from the support staff or his ‘damn car’. He recently addressed his season and explained that he is always doing his best regardless. “It doesn’t feel good, obviously, it’s devastating to have these bad races in the second half of the season, but all I can say is we’re trying coming into the weekends, but it’s definitely not acceptable.” said Hamilton (via PlanetF1.com). “It’s definitely not good enough. And we have to take accountability. I have to take accountability. But I am driving, I’m doing the best with what I’ve got with the kit.” the Briton added. Hamilton’s car woes have still not disappeared, as he has time and again blamed his car due to some or the other issue. It is clear that it has been one of the main reasons for the Briton’s poor record after the summer break. “For some reason the car has been the worst this weekend, and I don’t know what it is. We’re going to have to find out what it is. One of the cars was working a lot better, so there’s obviously potential.” The 39-year-old explained. The Briton concluded by explaining that since he is not in the world title picture, he could not care less about which position he finishes. All he wishes for his last few races with Mercedes is to help his team as much as possible. “I just put my focus on something else. I’m not fighting for the championship. Doesn’t matter really where we finish in the championship, I don’t care if I finish ahead of George or behind George. It doesn’t make any difference to me. I just want to keep the car out the wall and try to score points if I can for the team, if I can finish, whatever.” the seven-time world champion addressed. What happens in the next three races will not change anything, and Lewis Hamilton knows that. What he has done at Mercedes might never be replicated, winning six world championships and tying the record. His legacy will always remain intact, and that is what matters the most now that he is on the verge of leaving the place where he became the greatest driver of all time. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

“I don’t think it will be easy for Lewis” : Former F1 Supremo believes Lewis Hamilton will have a hard time going against Charles Leclerc at Ferrari All is done for Lewis Hamilton to set sail on his new and perhaps final journey in F1 to the Italian team. This move has been built up since the start of the year and after a rollercoaster of a final stint with his beloved Mercedes, the Briton seems to have made up his mind. Hamilton’s final season with the Germans has not been the easiest, to say the least. His victories at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps might say otherwise, but overall, the seven-time world champion has played second fiddle to teammate George Russell almost the whole season, whether it is in qualifying or the actual racing. The Briton will be looking forward to change things as soon as he reaches Maranello, but the doubters remain prominent. Earlier, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admitted that he is glad that Lewis Hamilton decided to dawn the red and white colours as it makes him avoid a pretty nasty conversation where he needs to tell arguably the greatest F1 driver of all time that his services are no longer required. But most recently, even former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has also come out to say that Lewis Hamilton should not bother racing for Ferrari, fearing he might not be the main guy for them anymore. “They will back Charles Leclerc” : Bernie Ecclestone believes Lewis Hamilton will not be prioritized over Charles Leclerc It is true that Charles Leclerc is having a great season at Ferrari personally, and has had victories at the Circuit of Americas, Monza, and a pretty iconic one at Monaco, for obvious reasons. Ecclestone has made some good points, as Leclerc has never looked this good in the five years he has spent with the Italian team. “I don’t think it will be easy for Lewis, especially [at Ferrari]. They will back Charles Leclerc. He’s quick and has grown up there, they won’t dump him for anyone.” said Ecclestone to the Daily Mail. Although, the former F1 supremo does believe that it is a good move for Lewis Hamilton’s career, as he was obviously not welcomed for another season at Mercedes. “However, from Lewis’ point of view, it may not have been a mistake to join Ferrari. He couldn’t exist any longer at Mercedes. Either he’s given up with them or they have given up on him. They wouldn’t do much to keep him, so he is better off going.” the 94-year-old added. Ecclestone also revealed that he does not want to see Lewis Hamilton fading, and that is why he wants him to leave and do something he would be the best at. Obviously, he means well, but the idea of the Briton leaving F1 before his stint at Ferrari seems too far-fetched. Not to mention the substantial amount he would be missing financially. “He would have to walk away from a lot financially, it is a big deal he has got, though I suspect the bonus clauses written into his contract are there to make him feel good rather than reality,” said Ecclestone. Getting the title of the greatest F1 driver of all time is all good and well, but the soon to be 40-year-old will have to honour that title by producing one of his best seasons in 2025, all while going against teammate Charles Leclerc. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

“Not even Lewis Hamilton will ever come close to Michael Schumacher” : Ralf Schumacher Ralf Schumacher recently commented on Lewis Hamilton matching his brother Michael Schumacher’s legacy in F1. Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher hold the record for the most F1 world championship titles, having won seven each. The Briton has an opportunity to go one above the great German driver, as he still has some years of racing left in him. However, Ralf Schumacher believes that Lewis Hamilton will not come close to Michael Schumacher’s legacy. He believes that the Mercedes driver will not be able to win an eighth title, given his struggles over the last three seasons. Lewis Hamilton will now move to Ferrari at the end of the season, as he leaves Mercedes after almost over a decade. Ralf Schumacher believes that Max Verstappen could probably have an opportunity to match Michael’s legacy, given that he is well on his way to claiming his fourth consecutive World Championship title. The Dutchman sits 52 points ahead of Lando Norris, with just six races remaining. “Not even Lewis Hamilton will ever come close to Michael. Not in light years, from my point of view. We thought Lewis Hamilton could walk on water and, no, he didn’t,” said Ralf. Ralf Schumacher states that Max Verstappen can go further in terms of talent than Lewis Hamilton Max Verstappen has been the undisputed leader in Formula One over the past couple of seasons. He claimed the title rather comfortably in 2022 and 2023. He has been pushed by his rivals this season, however, it seems that the Dutchman will claim his fourth successive title. “We thought Max Verstappen could walk on water – although in my opinion, in terms of talent, he could actually go further than Lewis. That’s just the way it is,” Ralf added. Ralf Schumacher also added that Michael Schumacher was lucky to be at the right place at the right time. The German dominated the grid with Ferrari during the early 2000s. For Lewis Hamilton, he will now move to Ferrari in 2025, as he ends his tenure with Mercedes after spending almost over 10 years. He will now partner Charles Leclerc, who has been with the Italian team for quite some time. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

Guenther Steiner believes FIA Race Director ‘robbed’ Lewis Hamilton of his eighth F1 title Max Verstappen’s infamous first world championship victory was bound to be talked about for decades to come. A controversy which has divided the F1 world to this day, with some believing the Dutchman clearly deserved his title while others dead set on Lewis Hamilton being ‘robbed’ of his record eighth world championship. Lewis Hamilton, who is currently tied with Michael Schumacher at seven world championships, was believed to be one of the victims of the FIA’s unjustly ruling during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Race Director Michael Masi permitted only a few cars to overtake to move them back into position during the late-race safety car. This decision ultimately favored Max Verstappen to get ahead of the Briton in the final minutes of the race. Former Haas Team Principal Guenther Stiener was the latest to comment about this controversy. In his new book ‘Unfiltered’, the Italian says that he is one of the people who believes Lewis Hamilton should have been an eight-time world champion. “From a regulations point of view, it was a s*** show” : Guenther Steiner leaves no filter on his assessment over the FIA’s controversial decision Apart from choosing Hamilton as his winner, Steiner also bluntly stated about the FIA’s disappointing ruling, and then compared it to the late Charlie Whiting’s decision-makings. The Italian manager believes that Lewis Hamilton would have been an eight-time world champion had Whiting officiated the race. “Wherever your loyalties lie, and yes, it was amazing entertainment, from a regulations point of view, it was a s*** show of biblical proportions,” said the 59-year-old in his book ‘Unfiltered’. While Max Verstappen has now gone and become a three-time world champion after that race and a potential fourth one on the way, things have not quite been the same for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton. The Briton has massively struggled in these past seasons and has been nowhere near those same heights. Whether it is the new ground regulations set by the FIA, car struggles or issues in qualifying sessions, something or the other seems to be stopping Hamilton to go for no.8. But nonetheless, Lewis Hamilton is still not one to give up, as he finally ended his winless drought by winning the British and Belgian Grand Prix this season. Moreover, his shift to Scuderia Ferrari next year is only increasing his odds of becoming the first driver to have eight world championships. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

“When you are a driver, you have to behave properly” : Fernando Alonso disagrees with Lewis Hamilton as he gives his opinion regarding the ongoing dispute between Max Verstappen and the FIA Just a few weeks ago during the Singapore Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was sanctioned by the FIA, who made an example out of him due to his unprofessional conduct in a press conference. The F1 stewards also ordered the Dutchman to take part in the work of public interest as a punishment, to which Verstappen decided to protest against. This decision was met with a lot of controversy inside the F1 world, as even before this incident, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s rather racist words regarding the use of explicit language triggered a lot of people. This led star drivers like Lewis Hamilton and even Verstappen’s current championship rival Lando Norris came in support of the Dutchman. This matter really started getting out of hand when the three-time world champion started ignoring questions in press conferences or even speaking his mind, as he ‘might get banned’ again. Although Verstappen was backed by his fellow competitors and other motorsport drivers in his quest for protesting his sanction, one veteran driver does not seem to entertain his behaviour. “This kind of thing reminds us that there are a lot of people watching us” : Fernando Alonso 43-year-old Fernando Alonso has been in the motorsport business long enough to understand the small intricacies of driver’s decisions and the consequences it provides later on. Speaking at a sponsor event, the Spaniard said he believes that drivers should encourage proper behaviour more, as they are the inspirations of millions of fans around the world. “I’ve met a lot of fans around the world who follow Formula 1 and they always tell you that you are their inspiration. This kind of thing reminds us that there are a lot of people watching us. When you are a driver, you have to behave properly.” said Alonso. “The fans can give you a lot of love, a lot of motivation, but also a lot of responsibility for what they expect from you. You have to be prepared to be a role model when you want to be, and when you don’t too. When you want to say something that is not correct, you have to control yourself and be politically correct. When you’re on that day when you don’t want to train or prepare for the next Grand Prix, you have to do it because it’s your responsibility to your fans and the people who believe in you.” the Aston Martin driver added. The two-time world champion did not directly talk about Verstappen, but looking at the landscape of the F1 in the past few weeks, it was pretty evident to whom he was referring to. This is not the first time a dig has been aimed at the Dutchman this season indirectly, as in July, Lewis Hamilton also suggested the three-time world champion to act more professionally. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year