Lewis Hamilton may have hinted at an uncertain future in Formula 1 as he faces a challenging 2024 season, preparing to leave Mercedes for Ferrari next year.
The seven-time world champion has had a frustrating season, with Mercedes’ inconsistent W15 car causing frequent issues. This was particularly evident at the recent Brazilian GP, where Hamilton’s dissatisfaction was clear.
“Terrible. Terrible,” Hamilton said when asked about his car at Interlagos. When pressed on the specifics, he responded, “You tell me. That’s the million dollar question. If you can find the answer, I’ll give you a million dollars.”
Hamilton’s weekend was marred by poor qualifying, a disappointing sprint, and an underwhelming race. He noted that driving Ayrton Senna’s car in a tribute event was the “best thing of the weekend.”
Since 2022, Hamilton has been outspoken about the stiffness of the ground-effect cars, but he said Brazil hit a new low. “It’s like a plank of wood. It’s like, no suspension,” he explained. He added that he could “happily go and take a holiday” if the issues continue.
With three races remaining in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, Hamilton is looking forward to ending the season and moving on to Ferrari, which currently outperforms Mercedes. “I’m very interested in my future, of course,” he said. “In that respect, keeping an eye, yeah. Watching everything that happens.”
After the Brazilian GP, where Hamilton will be replaced by Kimi Antonelli in 2025, he expressed disappointment over the team’s performance. “That was a disaster of a weekend guys,” he told his team on the radio. “That is the worst the car has ever been. If this is the last time that I get to perform, it’s a shame it wasn’t great. But grateful for you.”
Looking at the remaining races, Hamilton said, “If they give me a car that doesn’t bounce in the next three races, maybe I can get a better result. But yes, I am looking forward to Christmas.”
Hamilton admitted he’s no longer fighting for the championship and is focused on a fresh start in 2025 with Ferrari. “I am not fighting for the world championship, so it doesn’t matter really where I finish. I don’t care if I’m in front or behind George (Russell). It makes no difference to me.”
