Former racing driver Damon Hill holds the firm belief that Lewis Hamilton has outsmarted Mercedes’ team principal, Toto Wolff. The cunning move came when Hamilton compelled the team to acknowledge their fallacy in the initial design philosophy of their W14 contender.
At the outset of 2022, the Silver Arrows tenaciously clung to their ‘zeropod’ concept. However, it swiftly became evident that a modification was imperative to bridge the chasm separating them from Red Bull’s pinnacle position.
In a significant move, the Brackley-based team unveiled a substantial set of upgrades during the Monaco Grand Prix. Notably, their revised sidepods now bear a striking resemblance to those of Red Bull and Aston Martin.
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The impact of these enhancements was immediately evident as Lewis Hamilton secured a podium finish in Barcelona, followed by another impressive performance in Canada last weekend.
Damon Hill, providing valuable insights, has highlighted the significance of Hamilton’s achievements. By exerting pressure on Mercedes and compelling them to alter their strategy, Hamilton has effectively scored a symbolic victory. This triumph could play a pivotal role in persuading the 38-year-old racing star to extend his contract with the team for the upcoming season.
During an exclusive conversation with Express Sport, Damon Hill shared his thoughts on the future of Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes when specifically questioned about it.
“He knows that the team has got his back, they know what they’ve got with him and they will give him everything he possibly can,” said Hill.
“He’s scored a point a bit this year because he’s got them to admit they’ve made a mistake. They’ve changed direction and they’re now heading in what seems to be the right direction and he’s driving better now as well. It could be that he could have a car that he can contend for the championship with next year.”
It is widely anticipated that Hamilton will soon reach an agreement with Mercedes for a two-year contract extension, as his current deal is set to conclude at the end of the current season.
Behind closed doors, negotiations have been progressing for the past few weeks, and it would come as a significant surprise if Hamilton were to depart from the Silver Arrows in the upcoming year. All indications point towards an imminent signing of a new contract, suggesting a positive outcome in the near future.
