Lewis Hamilton will fulfill a lifelong ambition in 2025 when he wears the fabled scarlet overalls of Ferrari, representing Formula One’s most iconic team. However, one compelling reason for him to end his decade-long affiliation with Mercedes is their on-track difficulties.
Formula One pundit Karun Chandhok applauds the Briton’s astute decision in this regard. Hamilton has been an integral part of Mercedes since 2013, winning six of his seven World Championships with the Brackley-based squad. However, following the 2022 regulation changes, Mercedes has been in a slump, with their performance deteriorating with each passing season.
Chandhok asserts that Hamilton recognized this downturn and wisely chose not to prolong his stay. In a Sky Sports segment, he stated that even on Ferrari’s poorest day of the season, they were still comfortably ahead of Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton’s Disappointing Chinese Grand Prix Weekend
Hamilton’s Chinese Grand Prix weekend commenced promisingly with a P2 finish in the Sprint race. However, in the subsequent Grand Prix qualifying session, he committed an error during his final Q1 run, resulting in a disappointing P18 starting position. During the race, Hamilton faced further difficulties in gaining positions and repeatedly lamented the W15’s lack of pace. Despite his struggles, he managed to salvage two points for Mercedes with a P9 finish.
Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, has also experienced underwhelming performances. While the young Briton has marginally outperformed Hamilton this season, his results have been far from stellar. In China, Russell finished P6 in a race that lackedluster for the 26-year-old.
In the drivers’ Championship standings, Hamilton currently occupies P9 with a meager 19 points, his worst start to a season since 2009. However, the Stevenage-born driver is unlikely to be overly concerned with long-term results at Mercedes, as he prepares to switch to Ferrari in eight months.
