The sixth season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive has unveiled a pivotal conversation between Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ team principal, Toto Wolff, casting light on Hamilton’s hesitations about his future with Mercedes during the 2023 Formula 1 season.
This season’s episode dedicated to Hamilton’s career deliberations comes after Mercedes faced another year of unmet expectations, prompting Hamilton to question his long-term affiliation with the team.
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Despite Hamilton’s agreement in August to stay with Mercedes through to the end of 2025, the racing world was left in shock when he activated a break clause to switch to Ferrari for the 2025 season earlier this February.
The documentary grants viewers a glimpse into the seven-time world champion’s thought process, revealing his reservations about staying with Mercedes amidst performance issues. The exchange highlighted in the series shows Hamilton voicing his concerns about the team’s competitiveness. At the same time, Wolff strives to assure him of a prosperous future with Mercedes for the remainder of his racing career and beyond.
“For me, personally, when you see the step that Aston Martin made over the winter, show that if we get it right with the concept of the car, the aero and the balance, we can win a championship,” Wolff says.
“But I don’t want to wait until 2026 when we have the new engine regulations.”
Hamilton responds: “Frick, me neither. You can be here for like 20 more years, 30 more years, I can’t.”
Wolff replies: “Well, who says that?
In what now appears to be a telling remark, Hamilton says: “These are precious years for me. I don’t know.”
Attempting to temper Hamilton’s concerns, Wolff says: “Lewis, you’re much more than a racing driver, much more than the seven-time world champion. You are one of the people that lead this team forward.”
Lewis Hamilton is gearing up for his last season with his team, poised to make his 2024 pre-season testing debut on Thursday. This follows his teammate George Russell‘s test drive of the W15 on Wednesday.
Additionally, fans can look forward to binge-watching all ten episodes of Formula 1: Drive to Survive, releasing on Netflix starting Friday, February 23.
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