Lewis Hamilton hits out at Ferrari ‘vindication’ theory as Mercedes W15 woes continue

Lewis Hamilton said his decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari doesn’t “need vindicating” and he hasn’t questioned the choice once.

The seven-time F1 World Champion will leave Mercedes to join Ferrari at the conclusion of the 2024 season, and says the decision is the “right” one for him at this point in his career.

Lewis Hamilton: I’m not swayed by other people’s comments

With Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari confirmed ahead of the 2024 season beginning, ending his decade-long association with Mercedes that became the most successful driver-team pairing in F1 history, he’s had to field constant questioning about the decision in the opening handful of races.

In Japan, with Mercedes’ performance having been eclipsed by Ferrari as he came home in seventh, Hamilton was in despondent form as he spoke to media afterward and, with a journalist attempting to ask him about his future at Ferrari, the ill-timed question resulted in a terse Hamilton asking: “Do you have any better questions?”

Ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton was asked about whether the tough start to 2024 for Mercedes has justified, in his mind, the switch to Ferrari – at present, the Scuderia appears to have the more competitive package.

“I don’t feel like I need my decision vindicating,” Hamilton told media in Shanghai, ahead of the first Chinese Grand Prix since 2019.

“I know what was right for me, and that hasn’t changed since the moment that I made the decision.

“There’s not been a moment where I questioned it, and I’m not swayed by other people’s comments.”

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Lewis Hamilton: People continue to talk s**t

Hamilton has made it clear he’s still fully committed to delivering the best possible season he can for Mercedes in his final year together with the Brackley-based squad, with Ferrari-related questioning a source of irritation with so many months left before that chapter begins.

Having had his move to Mercedes play out beautifully when he switched from McLaren ahead of the 2013 season, corresponding with Mercedes making a huge performance step forward, Hamilton said he isn’t giving any consideration to whether the same might play out when he swaps to Ferrari.

“Even today, there’s people continuing to talk s**t and it will continue on for the rest of the year,” he said.

“And I’ll have to just do what I did the previous time.

“Only you can know what’s right for you and it will be an exciting time for me.”

With former McLaren team-mate and long-time rival Fernando Alonso signing up with Aston Martin on a new deal that will see the Spaniard racing until he’s 45, at least, Hamilton was asked whether he, currently 39, could see himself racing on until a similar age when he joins the Scuderia.

“I’m going to be racing well into my forties,” he said. “So yeah, it’s no short-term thing.”

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