The seven-time World Champion recently made the announcement that he will be departing from Mercedes after a successful 12-year tenure with the team, during which he secured six of his Titles. Moving forward, he will be joining rival team Ferrari starting from 2025 as he nears the end of his illustrious career.
As a result, the upcoming 2024 season will mark the Briton’s final year with the Brackley-based squad. The question now arises: Can he achieve an unprecedented eighth Drivers’ Championship and surpass Michael Schumacher as the Formula 1 driver with the most World Titles?
The answer to that largely depends on the performance of Mercedes’ 2024 challenger, the W15 E Performance. Unveiled today, the W15 combines the black and silver liveries from previous seasons into a single car. The key question remains: Will it outpace last year’s W14 and provide Hamilton with the opportunity to compete for the Drivers’ crown in his farewell season with the team?
Hamilton will once again be partnered with George Russell for the third consecutive year. Despite the 39-year-old comfortably outperforming his younger teammate throughout the 2023 season, the car itself hindered his ability to challenge the dominance of Red Bull and eventual Champion Max Verstappen.
Nevertheless, Sir Lewis remains optimistic that the team has addressed various issues and is eager to start the upcoming calendar year on a positive note. He expressed, “The lessons we’ve learned in the past two years have guided us in the right direction. They have helped us find our guiding star.”
He acknowledged that there is still work to be done but emphasized that the team will face any challenges with determination and an open mind, stating, “We will tackle whatever obstacles come our way with resilience and dedication.”
Despite finishing third in the Drivers’ Standings last season, Hamilton failed to secure a race victory for the second consecutive year. He explained that this was due to his discomfort with the car, as he believes a more stable and predictable vehicle will allow both the car and drivers to reach their full potential.
In closing, Hamilton expressed his gratitude to the team for their hard work in developing the W15 during the winter months. He commended every individual within the team, stating, “I am fully aware of the capabilities of this team. I am immensely thankful for the dedication and determination displayed by each and every person within this organization. Whenever I visit the factory, I witness the unwavering commitment of everyone involved.”
He concluded by emphasizing the team’s high motivation for the upcoming year and their commitment to giving their all in the journey ahead. Shortly after the launch, Hamilton took the W15 for its first on-track debut at the Silverstone Circuit.
The next time we will witness Hamilton and Mercedes in action will be during pre-season testing, which is scheduled to commence on February 21 at the Bahrain International Circuit.
According to the Source grandprix247.com