“Has Lewis Hamilton checked out?” – Mercedes “divorce” explanation put forward
Former W Series driver Naomi Schiff has likened Lewis Hamilton’s current situation at Mercedes to a “divorce,” given the challenging start to the 2024 F1 season, which is one of the biggest in Formula One history with seven world titles. considerable difficulty compared to his teammate, George Russell. Russell leads 8-1 in qualifying and leads the drivers’ championship after the Montreal race.
Hamilton’s problems, particularly on Saturdays, have been evident, resulting in cryptic messages from the veteran driver. After the Monaco Grand Prix, Hamilton suggested that he would not be able to overtake Russell in qualifying for the rest of the year. However, after the race in Canada, he took more personal responsibility for the disappointing qualifying performance.
Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Schiff analysed Hamilton’s performance, pointing out that an opportunity can wake up a driver and make him more alert. “If we go back to what happened in Abu Dhabi in 2021, coming back in 2022 with a car unable to seek revenge was probably very disappointing for Lewis,” commented Schiff. The lack of a competitive car after the controversial 2021 final appears to have had a profound psychological effect on Hamilton.
During the 2023 season, Hamilton seemed to have regained some of his confidence and happiness, but this trend has not continued in 2024. Schiff believes that the deterioration of relations between Hamilton and Mercedes was inevitable. “That in itself will not be comfortable for Lewis. In Monaco, there was already strange body language, and Lewis was saying he was going to pass George in qualifying for the rest of the season,” Schiff noted.
The divorce analogy reflects the growing distance between Hamilton and the team. As the season progresses, Schiff predicts Hamilton will be left out of key meetings, with the team’s preference shifting to Russell. “All these things are going to plant a bit of doubt in the minds of the team and Lewis. What game are they playing? Has Lewis given up yet? Is he still on board?” Shifi asks.
Despite the mutual respect between Hamilton and Mercedes, the suspicions that arise could make it difficult to maintain a positive relationship. Schiff concludes that both the team and Hamilton are trying to end this phase in a positive way, but the reality is that, when in doubt, maintaining this relationship is a big challenge.
Hamilton, aged 39, is facing one of the toughest seasons of his career, and the uncertainty over his future at Mercedes grows with each race. The question that remains is whether he will be able to regain the form that established him as one of the greatest drivers of all time or whether this will be the beginning of a bitter end to his historic partnership with Mercedes.
