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Lewis Hamilton, Months Before Betraying Toto Wolff & Co.: “Ferrari is Always Gonna Be Up There”

Published 02/26/2024, 10:34 AM EST

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The final episode of Drive to Survive season 6 reveals Ferrari and Mercedes battling intensely for 2nd position, with Lewis Hamilton under the spotlight. From unlocking paddock secrets, exclusive interviews, and race track dramas, Netflix’s lens covers every thrilling moment, leaving no story untold. Besides, it dives into surprising facts shaping today’s sport, leaving F1 fans amazed and informed.

The show reveals intense rivalry among teams and hints at future events in the post-season, delivering captivating insights related to F1. While it missed capturing Hamilton’s future move, it unveils his reactions to the upcoming championship with Ferrari at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2023.

Lewis Hamilton hyped up Ferrari way before his sensational move

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Drive to Survive aired another 10 episodes, featuring behind-the-scenes insights as the 2024 season kicked off in Bahrain. Despite signing a contract extension with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton later decided to join Ferrari in 2025. Season 6 of Netflix’s DTS highlighted a 39-year-old driver’s reluctance to stick with Mercedes for his entire career, shown in a 2023 conversation with Toto Wolff.

via Reuters

 The 2023 championship witnessed a fierce battle between Ferrari and Mercedes, with the Brit showcasing his fears in the DTS footage. He expressed, “Ferrari have been really strong in the last couple of races, they’re pushing big time to beat us. On one side it’s exciting, on the other it’s definitely nerve-cracking. Ferrari is gonna be up there.” Conversely, in Ferrari’s quest to overtake Mercedes, Carlos Sainz says, “We have a good chance of beating them.”

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The footage shows enticing glimpses of the 2023 season in Las Vegas. It captures Ferrari’s mishap during pre-testing season, as the car ran over the drain, damaging the floor. Consequently, Carlos Sainz gets a penalty of 10th position on the grid. Despite this setback, Ferrari impressively secured a third position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, displaying their resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Despite facing mechanical car issues, the Brit beat Ferrari in the 2023 championship, securing 2nd position overall.

The video featured footage of the post-2023 championship season, where the 7-time champion expresses “I don’t wanna see this car after today”. Toto Wolff then convinced him, saying, Let’s do the best out of the last 90-minute season. DTS showcased the 7-time world champion’s reluctance to stay with Mercedes months before the 2024 season.

Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected departure to Ferrari: Fulfilled childhood dreams

Early in February, the F1 world was startled by news of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. This was unexpected, given his prior hints of ending his career with Toto Wolff & Co. The 39-year-old had even signed a contract extension with the Mercedes team in the summer of 2023, retaining him in the team until the end of 2025. His decision to withdraw came as an immense surprise to many within the sport.

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via Reuters

 In Bahrain’s pre-season testing in 2024, Brit expressed optimism about Mercedes’ new car, the W15. However, off-track, he confronted several concerns about his move to Ferrari. When asked what changed his mind about joining Ferrari, he explained to F1, “In the summer, we signed, and obviously, I, at that time, saw my future with Mercedes. But an opportunity came up in the new year, and I decided to take it”.

When the news broke, Hamilton posted on social media, expressing how the switch to Ferrari allowed accomplish his “childhood dream”. He elaborated on this sentiment further in Bahrain.

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Watch this Story: Is Carlos Sainz Looking to Move Away from Ferrari?

Stay tuned to know Lewis Hamilton’s last season with Mercedes. Exciting performances await! Don’t miss out!

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Written by:

Ashwini Bochkeri

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Ashwini Bochkeri is a Formula 1 writer at EssentiallySports. After acquiring her MBA, she steered into the realm of journalism. With 2 years of content writing experience at Net Profit Reality and having crafted 500-plus articles, social media posts & creatives she transitioned into her current role as an F1 writer.
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Edited by:

Akash Pandhare