Will Lewis Hamilton be on the F1 grid in 2024?
Mercedes might be able to turn things around and provide Hamilton with a championship-winning car; they are a successful team.
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Lewis Hamilton, Image via Pinterest.
The heated debate in the F1 Garage is about Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion leaving his team, Mercedes AMG Petronas. To discuss this subject, Abu Dhabi 2021 must be addressed. Hamilton lost what could have been his eighth championship, in a controversial circumstance. Things only went downhill from there. The team started the 2022 season on the back foot. During the most difficult time of his career, Hamilton stayed strong, he hoped for a better result every weekend. It takes a lot of courage to bounce back after a difficult season.
The 2023 Formula One season is underway, and things are not looking good for Mercedes so far. The porpoising issue has been solved, but apart from that, new problems are rising. They are not where they want to be. The team is threatened by Aston Martin’s performance, Toto Wolff stated that it is a wake-up call for Mercedes. There are also rumors that Hamilton might move to Ferrari, or that he would retire. Well, these are mere rumors.
Lewis Hamilton stated, “I don’t plan on being anywhere else”. The Briton is loyal to his team and will not abandon them, especially when they are going through a rough patch. He joined Mercedes in 2013, it has been 10 years now. Hamilton mentioned time and again that he has a few more years left in him and is highly motivated. It is no doubt that he will stay in Formula One for the 2024 season.
Related: Red Bull’s domination will make the 2023 season bland: Ralf Schumacher
A look at Lewis Hamilton’s 2022 season
One of the many things Hamilton is known for is his successful career. He equaled Micheal Schumacher’s record in 2020 at the Turkish Grand Prix. His eighth title was so close yet so far, a heartbreaking moment for the Briton and his fans. Hamilton started his 2022 season with a podium finish in Bahrain, he was quite surprised with the result but accepted it gladly.
The car (W13) affected Hamilton’s health, especially in Baku. He could not step out of the car due to back pain caused by the porpoising. Hamilton still managed to finish P4, and the fans applauded him. By the end of 2022, Hamilton had nine podiums. The Briton was in unfamiliar territory last season. It was the first time he had gone without a win. And the team was not used to this either. George Russell brought them their only win of the season at the Sao Paulo GP. To make things worse, Hamilton was constantly compared to his teammate. In his defense, he was trying different setups for the car and sacrificed performance initially.
Lewis Hamilton’s 2023 season and future plans
Mercedes launched the W14 on February 15th before the pre-season testing, and it turned eyes. The car sported a black livery and looked fiery. The fans collectively agreed that the team had the best livery on the grid. Hamilton was pleased with his new toy. The team worked hard over the winter break to improve their pace and solve their bouncing issues. Hamilton mentioned after the pre-season testing that it felt so good to drive a car that was not bouncing.
The Briton finished fifth at the 2023 season opener. He admitted that the team had some work to do. Mercedes will revise their side pods, and change the car concept. Toto Wolff confessed that the car design did not work out as they had hoped. The team will make radical changes. Wolff stated that the team would do everything possible to give Hamilton a car capable of fighting for the championship.
In an interview with Sky Sports F1, Hamilton participated in a fun segment. He took the lie detector test. They hit him with a question of whether he would stay in Formula 1 until he wins his eighth championship. The Briton smiled and answered, “yes”. It was concluded that he was telling the truth. Mercedes have not provided him with a good package this season, but they will bring updates.
Things might turn around quickly. Hamilton’s contract will end in 2023, he has not signed another one yet. This raised some eyebrows and hence led to speculation of his retirement. Nevertheless, both Toto Wolff and Hamilton have stated that they will find some time during the season and sign a new contract. It is only a matter of time.
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