“We thought he would be less of a threat to us,” Helmut Marko reveals his pivotal role in Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes move

The Englishman made the shift to the Silver Arrows in 2013 and has enjoyed unparalleled success ever since.

Lewis Hamilton began his illustrious career at McLaren back in 2007 and claimed his first world title with them the following year. In the seasons that followed, he was overshadowed by Jenson Button and a young Sebastian Vettel, who dominated the scene for the years to come. It was in 2013 that the superstar chose a move to Mercedes, who hadn’t laid claim to much success in the sport prior to that year. Helmut Marko, advisor at Red Bull has shockingly revealed that he played a part in the ambitious move Lewis Hamilton made to Mercedes.

Speaking to Sport Bild, Helmut Marko revealed, “I gave [Niki Lauda] some information that Lewis would be available” Niki Lauda, at the time, was the non-executive chairman at Mercedes, and this passage of information from Marko to his Austrian counterpart, proved to facilitate Hamilton’s transfer.

https://youtu.be/h5Wj6Ge8eSQ

Marko went on to express his regret, saying “Of course I was not being altruistic. At the time, we thought Lewis would be less of a threat to us at Mercedes than at McLaren, for whom he was driving at the time.” He went on to admit that this decision of his was a misjudgement, although the consequences were unforeseeable. Hamilton went on to break Red Bull’s era of domination and initiate his own, which included 6 of the next possible 7 championships. The Austrian also believes that he has learned from his mistake from the experienced he’s gained throughout the years that followed.

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Lewis Hamilton went on to establish his supremacy for the years to come

Sir Lewis Hamilton was crowned World champion in just his second season in the sport with McLaren. The team was competitive and always strived to be at the top. However, in the years following his championship, the team was overshadowed by the likes of Jenson Button with Brawn GP, and Sebastian Vettel with Red Bull, despite remaining competitive. When Lewis Hamilton moved to Mercedes, partly due to the doing of Helmut Marko, it was a move that puzzled the paddock and fans alike. Hamilton was departing a competitive team with an established reputation for victory for Mercedes, who were relatively new to the sport and were unproven.

While the vast majority considered this a mistake, the supremacy that would follow in the years to come was completely unforeseen. In his first year with the German team, he managed 4^th in the world drivers’ championship, finishing below his rivals. However, the following years led to unparalleled dominance from him and the team. Hamilton went on to claim 6 titles between 2014 and 2020, only being bested by his teammate in 2016, Nico Rosberg.

?️ | Marko admits that he made a huge mistake by advising Mercedes to sign Lewis Hamilton in late 2012

"I gave him (Lauda) some information that Lewis would be available. Of course I was not being altruistic."

"At the time, we thought Lewis would be less of a threat to us…" pic.twitter.com/TH7zuyi91l
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) April 20, 2023

The English veteran is now a 7-time world champion, joint most with the very man he replaced at the Brackley-based team, Michael Schumacher. He has secured 103 wins(most), 192 podiums, 103 pole positions(most) and 61 fastest laps. He is widely considered the greatest driver to ever grace the pinnacle of motorsport and now claims a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Lewis Hamilton’s domination was broken by Max Verstappen in 2021, and ever since the veteran has struggled to secure a win, despite having secured numerous podiums. This seems to mark a new era for domination by the Dutchman with Red Bull, with Marko finally being able to breathe a sigh of relief, now being able to revel in the success that was taken away from him by Hamilton, by virtue of his error in judgement back in 2013.