F1: Final season at Mercedes feels ’emotional and surreal’

Lewis Hamilton says it feels “surreal” to be heading into his last season with Mercedes on this 12 months’s Method 1 championship.

The seven-times world champions will race for the workforce with which he gained six drivers’ titles for the twelfth and last season in 2024 forward of his transfer to Ferrari for subsequent 12 months.

Talking on the launch of the workforce’s new automobile for the 2024 season, the W15, Hamilton admitted it felt unusual to be trying in the direction of his last season for the workforce.

“It’s clearly been emotional,” Hamilton mentioned. “It’s very surreal to be right here provided that I got here right here in 2013 – so 11 years with the workforce, beginning my twelfth. It’s such a privilege to work with a bunch of individuals the place you see the work they’re doing over winter.”

Regardless of Hamilton and Mercedes being essentially the most profitable workforce and driver partnership within the historical past of the game, Hamilton has not gained a grand prix for the reason that floor impact rules have been launched in 2022. After Mercedes went win-less as a workforce final season, Hamilton says the workforce are extra “grounded” heading into the brand new 12 months

“The main target via the entire of winter coaching is first on getting the workforce again to the place we as soon as have been,” he mentioned. “I feel we’ve had this troublesome couple of years, which I feel has been actually grounding for us. It’s helped us regroup.”

Hamilton says he’s trying ahead to experiencing the automobile on monitor for the primary time as we speak at Silverstone, alongside workforce mate George Russell.

“We’ve needed to re-look at issues and it’s now simply going via the vital course of, being actually diligent with our work, understanding the info, understanding the automobile, maximising from observe – even only one lap we would get within the rain as we speak would possibly give George and I a little bit of a sense of what’s to come back,” he mentioned.

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“The learnings of the previous two years have helped us discover our route. “It’s enabled us to seek out our north star. It’s nonetheless going to be a piece in progress, however we are going to face no matter challenges current themselves with our heads up, with open minds, and work via diligently.”

Together with the numerous adjustments to the automobile’s bodywork as Mercedes have deserted the ‘zero sidepod’ idea with the W15, Hamilton believes additional adjustments to the automobile’s inside might show essential.

“To know every little thing that’s beneath the hood, which individuals gained’t get to see however we – George and I – will get to expertise on the monitor, it’s thrilling,” Hamilton mentioned.

“Should you’re not comfy with the automobile, you’re not capable of extract the utmost efficiency. A extra steady, extra predictable automobile will allow us to extract the potential from not solely the automobile, however ourselves as drivers.”

Regardless of shifting to Ferrari on the finish of the 12 months, Hamilton says he stays motivated to try to reach his last 12 months with Mercedes.

“I do know what this workforce is able to,” he mentioned. “I’m extremely grateful for the work of each single individual on this workforce.

“Each time you’re within the manufacturing facility, you’ll be able to see the sheer drive and dedication of everybody. We’re all mega-motivated for the 12 months forward and can be giving it every little thing we’ve obtained on the journey forward.”

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