In August of this year, Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion in Formula 1, put an end to speculations about his future in the sport by signing a new two-year contract extension with Mercedes. Hamilton openly admitted that he had considered leaving Formula 1 earlier in the season but ultimately chose to renew his commitment with Mercedes.
Despite being in the midst of the longest winless streak of his career, with his last victory dating back to the penultimate race of the 2021 season in Saudi Arabia, the 38-year-old driver secured a third-place finish in the drivers’ standings for the current season. Nevertheless, there is a prevailing sense that Hamilton and his team are grappling with challenges in adapting to the new era of Formula 1 regulations.
The considerable points gap of 341 between Hamilton and world champion Max Verstappen fueled speculation about Hamilton’s future with Mercedes. Ultimately, in August, he signed a two-year deal reportedly worth around £100 million. However, before finalizing the negotiations, the seven-time champion had moments of uncertainty about continuing in the sport. In an interview with the BBC, Hamilton acknowledged the doubts, saying, “Ultimately, when you have difficult seasons like this, there are always going to be moments when you’re like, ‘is it me or is it the car? Do I still have it? Has it gone?’ I’m only human. If anyone in the world tells you they don’t have those things, they’re in denial. We’re all human beings.”
Hamilton is currently tied with Michael Schumacher for the record number of title wins, a fact seen as additional motivation for him to persist. Despite the existing gap in pace, he is determined to lead Mercedes back to competitive standing against frontrunners Red Bull.
Responding to suggestions from Christian Horner that Hamilton’s representatives had contacted Red Bull about a possible switch, Hamilton strongly refuted the claim, expressing confusion and stating that he has not spoken to Horner in years. Additionally, there were rumors linking Hamilton to a move to Ferrari, which he also addressed, stating that he wasn’t aware of any such discussions within his team.