Looks like Lewis Hamilton is unwilling to give up on Mercedes. That’s why he signed another two-year extension with this team. Throughout his glorious F1 career, Hamilton has always driven Mercedes-powered cars. Albeit he debuted in F1 in 2008, racing for the McLaren team, the cars had Mercedes engines. Later, in 2013, he joined the Mercedes team and stuck with them ever since.
But why wouldn’t Lewis stay with the team? He won six titles from 2014 to 2020. This team made him the most successful driver in Formula One. He has more wins and pole positions than any driver in history since he joined the German team. Currently, Lewis Hamilton is still looking to end his win drought. He feels Mercedes should improve and build their car like McLaren.
Lewis Hamilton Wants Mercedes To Improve Like McLaren To Close The Gap With Red Bull
Mercedes is still looking for their first victory this season. Even after numerous upgrades, they have not finished on the top of the podium. After the Japanese Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton mentioned he had no clue where the car was going to be next season. Apparently, the Silver Arrows are still a long way away from their desired position at present. In the post-race interview, Lewis Hamilton said he felt the next six months had to be the period of the greatest development of the car. Only if they want to compete for the title next year. Mercedes is still far away from closing the gap to Red Bull. However, Hamilton believes Mercedes is still amazing and can win the title in the upcoming seasons again.
Moreover, Lewis Hamilton wants Mercedes to follow in the footsteps of McLaren in terms of their progress. At present, the German team admits that McLaren has a faster car than them. That’s the kind of trajectory Hamilton wants for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton noted that Mercedes has been great in the past in adding downforce to the car. But the W14 is a type where the addition of downforce doesn’t work. Hence, Hamilton feels his team should change their philosophy to build the cars. Then, they can be back to where they deserve. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton has been winless since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Can Mercedes Turn Things Around Next Season?
The seven-time champion mentioned he has complete faith in everyone on the team. But they must make the right decisions to move in the right direction. In 2020, Lewis Hamilton equaled Michael Schumacher in winning seven Driver’s World Championships. He could surpass the German great in 2021, but Red Bull’s Max Verstappen ruined his party. Since 2017, Hamilton has enjoyed a winning streak of championships that Max Verstappen broke in 2021. However, the Dutchman has been enjoying a streak of titles since 2021. In 2023, he has already won 13 races. Clearly, Max Verstappen will win the current championship as well.
The only driver with more than 100 race wins has been winless for such a long time. But the main reason for that is the Mercedes car. Last year, Mercedes W13 had a tremendous porpoising issue. Despite the problems, they managed to win in Sao Paolo, Brazil. However, in 2023, the Mercedes W14 had fewer issues with bouncing and sliding than its predecessor. But it is still winless in 2023. The only team to win a race this season other than Red Bull has been Ferrari in Singapore.
