Lewis Hamilton has shared his aspirations for a “dream” conclusion to his tenure with Mercedes as he approaches his last season racing for the team in Formula 1.
His future move to Ferrari in 2025, a revelation that stirred the driver market, has prompted speculation about his commitment level in his remaining time with Mercedes, especially since they will become competitors next year.
The competition between Ferrari and Mercedes was particularly fierce last season, with Mercedes narrowly securing second place in the Constructors’ Championship by a margin of three points in the final race at Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton, who has been a part of Mercedes since 2013 and has exclusively used their engines throughout his F1 career, expressed his vision for an ideal farewell with the team.
Hamilton said “I feel the most motivated and focused I’ve ever been. I genuinely feel like I’ve put more work, time, and focus into preparation this year.”
“I never thought that at this point in my life I would have hunger like I do right now. To finish on the high with this team, would be a dream.
“We’ve gone through a whole heap together, so to finish on a high would be the greatest honor to be able to help them get back to the top.”
Mercedes unveiled the W15 amid high expectations for the upcoming season, with Team Principal Toto Wolff stating that the team has altered “almost every component” to bridge the distance to Red Bull.
Hamilton believes that the pre-season testing will largely focus on refining their understanding of the car to avoid the setup fluctuations that were encountered last season with the W14.
He said, “When we get to Bahrain, it’s basically two weeks before the first race. That’s where you get to see all the other cars come out the garage, you get to see and compare and look at the detailing between different cars.”
“Then some moments you’ll get to experience out with other cars on track. But mostly you get to experience what the car is like.
“Every year there’s a different characteristic, [it’s about] how do you discover that characteristic? Then figure out how to hone them in and finesse them.”
