F1 News: Mercedes Chief Draws Clear Verdict On Lewis Hamilton's Winless Seasons

Saajan Jogia | 2 Hours Ago

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff / Mercedes Press Image

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has weighed in on Lewis Hamilton's difficult seasons, asserting that they do not signify failure for either the driver or the team. Instead, Wolff admitted that Hamilton's tenure is defined by the team's remarkable achievements over 12 Formula 1 seasons, including eight Constructors' Championships and six Drivers' titles with the Briton.

These remarks from Wolff come as the Brackley squad prepares for its final two races with the seven-time world champion before his move to Ferrari next year. Wolff highlighted that despite the setbacks Mercedes has been facing in the ground effect era that started in 2022, which resulted in Hamilton enduring two winless seasons until this year, his resilience shone through with two race victories in 2024.

Wolff believes Hamilton's struggles over the past two years were due to an unpredictable car that took time to develop. Though the 2024 W15 is not without trouble, the car has been significantly improved and can perform strongly on specific circuits. He stressed that Hamilton's recent setbacks do not overshadow his unmatched achievements with Mercedes over the years. The Mercedes team boss said:

“It’s the most competitive motorsport in the world and we were lucky and blessed with winning eight consecutive World Championship titles.

“That wasn’t done before in any other sport. And Lewis won seven Drivers’ championships.

“You cannot extrapolate from that that you’re going to win forever or that you’re in the hunt for every single championship. That doesn’t happen.

“And the regs were changed twice and we maintained the level of performance and won championships. And then we’ve just been caught out by these new regulations in 2022.

“Until today, we’re just not able to put steady performance on the car and provide the drivers with something that is predictable, that has enough downforce, that doesn’t bounce or hop, that rides where the ride is acceptable, where the tyre degradation can be managed in the right way and not be too cold or too hot.

“That is how sport goes. That’s very easy.

“I don’t know where I read that or where I heard that, but a basketballer was asked whether he felt that his season was a failure.

“And he said: Michael Jordan played 10 OR 12 seasons in the NBA and he won four. Does that mean that the whole thing was a failure?

“Were the other six a failure? And I think we’ve been together 12 years now in this championship and we won eight. Are the other ones a failure?

“We finished third two years ago, we finished second last year, bearing in mind we haven’t won a race, and we won three this year. So that is not all a failure. That was a pretty good spell for Mercedes and for Lewis.

“And we will be trying to do it better. We are trying to do it better every single day, every single weekend. And the same will be next season and then the big one in ‘26.”

Hamilton's decision to move to Ferrari is backed by his goal to secure his eighth Formula 1 title. While Ferrari has proven to be a strong contender this season as it inches closer to overtaking McLaren in the Constructors' Championship for the top spot, it remains to be seen how the 2025 season will pan out with a tighter grid.