F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Emotional Turmoil Revealed Amid Mercedes Exit

Saajan Jogia | Nov 12, 2024

Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team driver Lewis Hamilton (44) of Team Great Britain smiles to the crowd during a fan forum before the Sprint Race in the 2024 Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton's emotional side has been revealed in the new book sharing key insights into the Brackley outfit, titled Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane. The author, Matt Whyman, shared how the seven-time world champion found it challenging to face his team that he shares a close bond with, after announcing his 2025 Ferrari move. Whyman described Hamilton's concern about the effect his move could have on his friendships with his Mercedes team members, something he deeply cared about.

After spending 12 seasons with Mercedes, where he secured six driver's titles, the British driver announced his Ferrari move in February before the 2024 season began. The unexpected move shocked the F1 community, including his team, which was most likely under the impression that he would retire with Mercedes.

Whyman described a scenario where the 39-year-old was unable to get out of the car and meet his team during a pre-season outing, thinking what he was going to say to them about the Ferrari move. Speaking to Mirror Sport, he said:

"His team mean a great deal to him - all his engineers, Bono, all the team, they mean such a lot to him.

"Every year he takes them paint-balling, just a pre-season bonding experience, and it was all set up to go so he had to go to the paint-balling.

"He said to me that he arrived and he saw them all waiting to go in. He said he could not get out of the car for 20 minutes. 

"He was just so struck with, ‘What am I going to say to them after all of this time?’ He is very human. I do not think this was a robotic decision."

Whyman explained that while the British driver can come across as a focused and goal-oriented driver, he also cared about the effect switching to another team could have on his friendship with his team members. The author also suggested that Hamilton's team understands his switch to Ferrari since it was the only missing piece in his Formula 1 career. He added:

"I know Lewis can come across as very focused and it is a focused decision, but he is a human being, he knows that it has repercussions and on a friendship level, that was the thing that he cared about most of all.

"Talking to his colleagues, I think everyone understands. It is Ferrari, and this is a guy who has done everything - that is the one thing he has not done."