Seven-time Method 1 champion Lewis Hamilton revealed that his last 12 months with Mercedes has been “emotional” after he introduced final winter that he was leaving the group to hitch Ferrari in 2025.
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“I think ultimately, definitely I anticipated it would be difficult, but I massively underestimated how difficult it would be,” stated Hamilton, who has spent the previous 12 years with Mercedes. “It was straining on the relationship very early on. It took time for people to get over, get past it.”
Hamilton stated it was emotional from the beginning of the season and his choice put a pressure on his camaraderie together with his teammates and group principal Toto Wolff.
“The first meeting with Toto at the beginning of the year was awkward, of course,” Hamilton stated. “So it was awkward from the get-go.
“The day after, I took a number of the group paintballing they usually had simply discovered. So there have been a great deal of moments by the 12 months. I acquired numerous photographs folks, I had a great deal of bruises. Folks went in on me that day.”
Hamilton, 39, has won twice this year, but his latest victory was July 28 at the Belgian Grand Prix. He has finished in the top 5 three times in the past nine races. He believes he has struggled to handle the emotional weight after his announcement.
“I believe this 12 months, and so lots of you’ve gotten been right here my complete profession, so a few of you I believe you have all seen the worst of me and seen the perfect of me,” Hamilton said. “I am not going to apologize for both as a result of I am solely human and I do not at all times get it proper. And I might undoubtedly say this 12 months has been one of many worst by way of dealing with that from my aspect, which I will work on attempting to be higher at.”
Hamilton changed teams once before in his illustrious career, leaving McLaren after the 2012 season. But his success with Mercedes 84 wins and 78 pole positions makes his move much more emotional.
“It undoubtedly wasn’t as painful and troublesome as this 12 months has been by way of the feelings,” said Hamilton, who has 105 victories in his career. “I believe as a result of it was on the finish of the 12 months, it was a lot faster and there wasn’t sufficient time for it to actually settle in for anybody, I believe, throughout the group.
“So this one’s much more emotional because I’ve been with the team so long and we’ve been through so much together.”
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