‘He’s still hungry,’ Jenson Button backs Lewis Hamilton to stay on at Mercedes F1 for 2024
Lewis Hamilton has not yet extended his contract, which expires at the end of 2023. But Jenson Button thinks he will continue with Mercedes in Formula 1.
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Lewis Hamilton
There have been many rumors, and reports, regarding Lewis Hamilton’s future. His current contract expires at the end of 2023, and four races into the season, there is no surety of an extension. Both parties, however, have made clear that they are happy to continue with each other. Many of these rumors also concern Charles Leclerc taking his place at Mercedes, though this is a highly unlikely prospect, at least for 2024.
All signs point to Hamilton continuing, though you never can tell. As long as the contract extension isn’t confirmed, there will continue to be rumors and questions. Perhaps even afterward. Of course, he cannot drive forever. If not at the end of this season, sooner or later, the Briton will have to stop racing. But it doesn’t seem like it will come now – he is as motivated as ever, even in a disappointing package. He still has the hunger to win an eighth world title.
Jenson Button, who had previously said that Hamilton was waiting to see if the W14 was ‘competitive’ before extending his contract, does not see his former teammate retiring right now. Speaking to Sky Sports, the 2009 F1 world champion: “I don’t think Lewis is going to walk away from the sport. As a racing driver, if you’ve been winning for so long and then you’re suddenly not, you want to fight back to winning – so you’re not going to retire.”
If you’re a seven-time world champion like Hamilton, it would be hard to keep yourself motivated in very bad machinery. Fortunately, that’s not the case. Even now, Mercedes are part of the pack closest to Red Bull. Button expanded on this: “Or, to come at it another way, if you’re in a bad car for many years, you want to retire – because it just gets you down. But Lewis is not in a bad car, he’s just in a car that is not as good as what he is used to.”
Read More: Lewis Hamilton responds to rumors of Charles Leclerc replacing him at Mercedes
‘Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes will be back fighting Red Bull again’
Mercedes dominated Formula 1 between 2014 and 2021, winning all titles but one. They definitely have the infrastructure to catch up with Red Bull – it’s just about doing it. Jenson Button mused that Lewis Hamilton is aware of Mercedes’ ‘strength’. He said: “He [Hamilton] knows the strength of the team, he knows how quick he is still and they’re going to work together to get back to fighting with Red Bull.”
Button reckons that Mercedes can get back to their best in the future. In any case, he thinks Hamilton will extend his contract – at least for 2024, as he still wants that eighth world title. The Briton said: “And I think they will. It probably won’t be this year. But in 2024, I think we see Lewis on the grid. He’s still hungry to win another world championship.”
In 2023, Hamilton and Mercedes’ chances of winning the title don’t look particularly good. But they are taking a new direction with their car concept, which will have many benefits in the future. It’s possible that next season, the Silver Arrows will finally be back – and fighting it out at the top, consistently. But other teams won’t sit around.
In case you missed it:
- F1 Azerbaijan GP: “Today shows that hunger is there,” Lewis Hamilton reaffirms motivation to succeed following impressive comeback at Baku
- James Allison’s return ‘doesn’t change’ Lewis Hamilton’s plans on Mercedes contract extension
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Aniket Tripathi
(1002 Articles Published)