In the wake of today’s announcement that Mercedes will be retaining both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell until at least the end of the 2025 season, Hamilton discussed his thoughts on continuing with the team into a 12th and 13th season.
Mercedes today announced that both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will continue to drive for the team, with both drivers’ contracts extended to the end of the 2025 season. Following the announcement, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton discussed his decision to continue with the team with whom he has won five of his seven titles.
“It just shows that that talent never really leaves you…”
Hamilton cited other successful athletes Tom Brady as well as fellow driver Fernando Alonso as living proof an athlete can continue to be successful into their forties, with the Mercedes driver turning 39 in January.
“I think I look at people like Tom Brady,” he said. “Who is such an incredible athlete and has shown what can be done today, so he’s the real role model in that respect for all athletes to look at. I’m really, really fortunate to speak to him to understand as well what he’s done and what he does consistently to keep himself in shape, and he has expressed it in the media anyway.
“Of course, it’s great to see Fernando. He was here way before I was and took that retirement and came back, and is doing an amazing job. It just shows that that talent never really leaves you as long as you have that passion and that commitment, you can continue.”
“We have had such an incredible journey together.”
Speaking on his relationship with the team, and looking towards the future, Hamilton said he couldn’t be happier to continue with the team which he joined for the 2013 season. He went on to admit he feels he has unfinished business with the team, while acknowledging the difficult task ahead to close the gap to the front of the field.
“I couldn’t be happier to be extending with this team.” Hamilton said. “We have had such an incredible journey together. Mercedes have supported me since I was 13, so such a long trip and we still have unfinished business. We are in this together. We have a lot of work to do to get ourselves back to the front but there is no place I would rather be.
“I definitely wanted to continue. I mean, I think in life there’s always up and downs, like last year was a difficult year. I’m pretty sure everyone was questioning whether they wanted to continue because it’s tough at the top and it’s such a tough sport.
“But that feeling quickly goes away and you put your mind and your energy into being the best you can be and dealing with the situations that you’re faced with.”
“That’s in the past and there is nothing you can do about the past.”
Elaborating on his unfinished business, Hamilton claims ‘revenge’ for the infamous 2021 championship is not a driving factor in his decision to continue. His belief in the team was clear as he commented on the engagement between departments within the team. Hamilton seemed adamant Mercedes will return to the top of the sport sooner rather than later.
“On the 2021 thing, I’m not really a revenge person and it’s not about revenge,” he said. “It’s not about redemption. That’s in the past and there is nothing you can do about the past. What we can do is work harder, be more precise and be better moving forwards. I truly believe with this team we can win more championships together and more races. That’s where all my energy is coming from.
“James Allison and the whole group back at the factory, the heads of all the departments coming together and talking and just really engaging better than ever before about where we are, the mistakes we’ve made, why we made those decisions, why we won’t make them again, and where we’re going.
“[It’s] having that confidence in each other that we are the best at what we do, and when we come together and given time, we will get to where we need to be.”
