“If Lewis were to leave,” pondered George Russell as he addressed the prospect of Hamilton joining Ferrari. “That would put Mercedes in a tricky spot. It would almost look like he’s lost faith in the team.”
Russell was speaking in an episode of Netflix’s newly-released Drive to Survive series – a chapter the Mercedes’ PR machine envisaged would celebrate Hamilton’s decision to stay with them.
Hamilton, after all, had signed a two-year contract extension last August to remain with the Silver Arrows until the end of 2025.
But following Hamilton’s shock decision to tear up his contract a year early in favour of a move to Ferrari, Russell’s remarks – too late to be pulled from Netflix’s sixth season – shed a very public spotlight on the awkward dynamic that faces the grid’s once-dominant team and its superstar driver ahead of the new season which starts in Bahrain on Saturday night.
Mercedes transformed Hamilton from a man with a single world championship to a one-man winning machine. He has seven world championships and 103 victories. No other driver in history can boast such an impressive resume.
But Hamilton is motivated by capturing the eighth title he believes he was robbed of in Abu Dhabi in 2021. And the 39-year-old no longer thinks he can achieve the record-breaking feat with Mercedes. As Russell would say, he’s lost the faith.
Can Hamilton be blamed? He has not tasted victory for two years. Mercedes did not win one of the 22 rounds last season. He heads into the new campaign as a 16/1 underdog to win the championship.
This year is being called Hamilton’s last dance with Mercedes. But do not expect it to be a samba.
Mercedes will remain at the sharp end of the grid this season. They have ditched the concept that has failed them so miserably for the past two years and introduced a new design philosophy – one that both Hamilton and Russell said is more predictable and easier to drive.
But will it possess the speed to knock Red Bull and Max Verstappen off their perch?
F1 works in cycles and, although Mercedes carried Hamilton to six championships in seven glorious years, this period in time belongs to the team from Milton Keynes, despite the on-going controversy surrounding its team principal Christian Horner and allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against him by a female colleague.
Horner continues to deny the claims and a resolution is expected before Saturday’s curtain raiser.
Red Bull swept all before them in 2023, winning every race bar one, with Verstappen taking 19 victories as he waltzed to a hat-trick of titles.
Such was their superiority, Red Bull and their genius designer Adrian Newey could afford to start work on this year’s challenger long before the others.
And the finished product, unveiled in all its glory at last week’s test, sent shivers down the spines of their competitors. The fear, for those not in a Red Bull cockpit, is that Newey’s latest masterpiece is an improvement on its brilliant predecessor.
Given the sport’s rule book is largely unchanged and the budget cap means rival teams can no longer break the bank to discover a winning solution, Verstappen heads into this mammoth 24-round campaign as the favourite to become only the sixth driver in history with four world titles to his name.
Alarmingly for the neutrals, Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, has predicted this season will be “one long victory lap” for Verstappen and his all-conquering team – and that’s before a wheel has been turned in anger.
But all is not lost – and that is when we return to Hamilton.
While Verstappen could prove an unstoppable force on track, Hamilton’s agonisingly long goodbye with Mercedes – one that is set to stretch nine months and six days – will provide a fascinating subplot.
'Bargain' Newey worth every penny to Aston Martin, says owner Stroll
Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll insisted the capture of legendary designer Adrian Newey was a "bargain" after confirming his arrival at the team on Tuesday.
Newey, who announced he would leave Red Bull in May, has put pen to paper on a reported £30million deal, signing on as Managing Technical Director and shareholder.
The 65-year-old has designed cars that have won 25 drivers' and constructors' championships for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull.
Newey was responsible for producing the most dominant car ever seen in the competition, with Red Bull winning 21 of the 22 races during the 2023 season.
Newey will stay with the reigning constructors' champions for the first quarter of 2025 though, officially joining Aston Martin on March 1 next year.
“I can tell you Adrian is a bargain,” Stroll said. “I’ve been in business for 40 years now and I’ve never been more certain.”
After challenging to break into the traditional top four last season, Aston Martin have struggled to find consistent performances on the track this term.
They finished on 280 points and ended up fifth in the constructors' standings last year, just 22 points behind Mercedes.
While they are again in that position this season, they have managed just 74 points from the first 16 races, with their highest finish coming at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when Fernando Alonso finished in fifth back in March.
Newey's arrival at Aston Martin is the latest in a string of big-name technical appointments, with Mercedes power unit chief Andy Cowell and Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile also joining the team.
And Stroll believes that Newey, along with the other additions, can help Aston Martin challenge once again at the top end of the grid.
“Adrian is key, key, key, and the biggest part of the puzzle, certainly from a technical point of view, from a technical leadership point of view,” said Stroll.
“He will be leading the team and I think that will have a trickle-down effect through the whole organisation.”
Aston Martin 'the team of the future' after Newey arrival, says Alonso
Fernando Alonso believes the arrival of legendary designer Adrian Newey means Aston Martin are "the team of the future" in Formula One.
On Tuesday, Aston Martin confirmed Newey had signed on as managing technical director and also become a team shareholder, with his annual salary reported to be £30million.
Newey's departure from Red Bull was confirmed in May after his relationship with team principal Christian Horner came under strain, though he will stay with the constructors' champions through the first quarter of 2025 to work on their RB17 car.
Newey has designed 14 championship-winning cars throughout stints with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, and Alonso believes his arrival bodes well for Aston Martin's future.
"We've been racing against each other for many years," Alonso said as Newey was unveiled at Aston Martin's headquarters on Tuesday.
"I would say he has been more an inspiration and I think thanks to Adrian and his talent and cars, we all got better as drivers, as engineers, as teams, you know, we all had to raise the bar thanks to him to be able to compete.
"Today is an incredible day for the team. Lawrence Stroll's vision is taking shape with this building, with Adrian, Honda, with Aramco, a new wind tunnel...
"It's definitely the team of the future I would say. For me, it's going to be an incredible professional opportunity to work with Adrian and to keep working with this green colour which I'm very proud to be part of."
Newey is also excited by the prospect of working with Alonso, revealing the two-time world champion came close to joining him at Red Bull 15 years ago.
"Fernando of course... We've battled against each other for so many years," Newey said. "He's been a bit of an archenemy at times.
"We came so close to him joining Red Bull for the 2009 season but unfortunately it didn't quite happen, which is a great shame.
"So we continued to battle against each other. He's a legend of the sport, so I'm very much looking forward to working with him."
Aston Martin announce signing of legendary designer Newey
Aston Martin have announced that legendary designer Adrian Newey will join their team from March 2025.
Newey has signed on as Managing Technical Director and is a shareholder in the team, in a deal worth up to £30million.
The 65-year-old's exit from Red Bull was confirmed in May after an apparent breakdown in his relationship with team principal Christian Horner.
Newey will stay with the reigning constructors' champions for the first quarter of 2025 though, to see out his work on the RB17, the company's first hypercar.
"I am thrilled to be joining the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team," Newey said.
"I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that [team owner] Lawrence [Stroll] brings to everything he is involved with.
"Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team. He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport.
"His commitment is demonstrated in the development of the new AMR Technology Campus and wind tunnel at Silverstone, which are not only state of the art but have a layout that creates a great environment to work in.
"Together with great partners like Honda and Aramco, they have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship-winning team, and I am very much looking forward to helping reach that goal."
The move will see Newey working with two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, the team owner's son.
Newey has designed 14 championship-winning Formula 1 cars across stints with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull.
Aston Martin will be hoping he can do so again for the 2026 season, which will see the introduction of new regulations.
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