Lewis Hamilton’s contract negotiations in 2023 were met with rejection by Mercedes. The team, including Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff, signed a two-year extension with Hamilton in August 2023. Despite Hamilton’s desire for a longer contract, he was only offered a one-plus-one deal, which ultimately influenced his decision to join Ferrari in 2025. Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, recently revealed that the reason for the short contract was due to a disappointing past experience with Verstappen. In 2014, Mercedes had the chance to sign Verstappen but couldn’t due to a lack of available seats. Verstappen went on to join Red Bull, becoming a reigning F1 champion.
Now, Mercedes has secured the talents of a promising young racer, Italian youngster Antonelli. Mercedes rated Antonelli highly and decided to prioritize his future in F1 over Hamilton’s demands. They didn’t want to miss out on the next big star of the sport, especially considering Hamilton’s approaching retirement. Hamilton, on the other hand, plans to win one more championship before leaving Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025. This season will mark the end of his long-term partnership with Mercedes, and he hopes to leave on a high note with 24 races remaining.
Hamilton is currently facing his longest winless streak in Formula One history, which began in 2021. However, he remains optimistic that the W15 will perform well enough to keep him competitive and in contention for the top spot. F1 pundits predict a successful year for Hamilton and believe that Mercedes can overcome their winless streak with time and consistency.