Lewis Hamilton probably left Mercedes at a time when the team needed him most. Even before the 2024 season kicked off, Ferrari broke the news that the 7-time champion will switch to the scarlet red outfit of the Scuderia from 2025 onwards. The announcement came as a shock to the Brackley squad as even Toto Wolff, the team boss and a long-time friend of Hamilton, got to know about the move just one day before it. What’s worse is that the move came at a time when Mercedes was finally ditching the zero sidepod philosophy, in hopes of closing the gap to the mighty Red Bulls, a plan in which Hamilton would have had a big role to play. And that is why the former Spanish F1 driver, Luis Pérez Sala, has criticized the British driver.

Mercedes has been facing challenges with the venturi floor regulations since 2022, impacting their car’s performance. The W13 model showed great potential in wind tunnel tests, but issues like bouncing and porpoising affected its real-world performance. Mercedes tried to address these issues with the next model, but improvements were limited on the W14, and they had to compromise on downforce levels once again. For the W15, they made significant changes, including a new cockpit position, modifications to the floor and sidepods, and a new rear suspension system, despite which the team had been struggling in its recent outings in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. However, the team would now possibly have to rely more heavily on George Russell with the impending departure of Lewis Hamilton.

Many including, Hamilton’s arch-rival, Max Verstappen have speculated that the Brit’s last season with Mercedes might be characterized by a sense of awkwardness due to the somewhat uncomfortable atmosphere within the Mercedes camp. It’s only natural for a top team to prevent the flow of sensitive internal information to a driver who is soon to leave the team.

In a recent conversation with AS, Pérez Sala was asked if Hamilton’s move could create difficult circumstances for both Ferrari and Mercedes.“Probably,“ Sala responded. “It’s very difficult for me to understand a decision like that so soon, before the start of a season. It’s not a good thing for your current drivers or your team. Everyone is very professional, but it’s not the ideal situation,” he further added.

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While the move may lead to some uneasy situations within the teams, it has the potential to be a repeat of Hamilton’s switch to Mercedes in 2013.

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If you consider what happened in the past when Lewis Hamilton made a move from McLaren to Mercedes, there are similarities to be found with his recent move. 2013 was a season before a big regulation change was around the corner, and the same is true this time around as well. What’s more is that he will now share the team with Charles Leclerc, who is widely regarded as one of the fastest drivers in F1, and the fastest qualifier. This pairing promises to be one of the most formidable in F1 history, with both drivers expected to push each other to new heights and as a result push Ferrari to new heights.

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Regardless of what the outside opinion may be, the allure of Ferrari, both emotionally and competitively, could have played a significant role in Hamilton’s decision. Moreover, with changes to F1’s regulations on the horizon, Hamilton would also be looking for an opportunity to replicate the success he enjoyed with Mercedes during a similar transition period in 2014.

Do you think the partnership between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari will work where so many other drivers failed? Share your thoughts in the comments down below.