Lewis Hamilton breaks public silence on Ferrari deal at Mercedes’ F1 automotive launch
Lewis Hamilton has opened up about his “emotional” exit from Mercedes and stunning swap to Ferrari.
The seven-time world champion described the transfer as “surreal” through the closing automotive launch of his Mercedes profession. Hamilton shocked the sports activities world when he determined to chop brief his two-year contract extension with Mercedes, which he signed final August, to hitch Ferrari subsequent 12 months.
Despite the excitement round his blockbuster transfer, the 39-year-old insists his focus is on what he can obtain with Mercedes this season. In his first public feedback since his transfer was confirmed, Hamilton stated (by way of the Mirror): “[The last few weeks] have clearly been emotional and it is vitally surreal to be right here.
READ MORE: Michael Schumacher concept behind Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari transfer rubbished by brother
Learn extra
Sky Sports is bringing you 500 dwell soccer video games to look at, as properly entry to Cricket, Golf, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA and extra throughout eight devoted channels. Sky Sports is the solely method to watch all of the motion this 12 months.
£22 a month
Sky
“The focus through the whole of winter training is getting the team back to where we once were. We have had these difficult couple of years which have been really grounding for us. It has helped us regroup and really look at things.”
Hamilton, who moved to Mercedes from McLaren in 2013 and gained six of his record-equalling seven world championships with the Silver Arrows, added: “I came here in 2013 so 11 years with the team and now I am starting my 12th.
Do you think Hamilton can secure an eighth world title before retiring? Let us know in the feedback part.
(Image: MERCEDES/AFP by way of Getty Images)
“It is such a privilege to work with a group of people where you see the work they do over the winter and you see a car come together at the beginning of the year and it is the most exciting part of the season.
“We need to be diligent, maximise apply and even one lap, George and I’d get within the rain at present will give us a sense of what’s to return.”
Team boss Toto Wolff, standing next to his soon-to-be leaving star driver, added: “It’s been a really busy winter. It might be our final season with Lewis so we’re eager on bringing a fast automotive.”
Hamilton, who hasn’t won in two years, and team-mate George Russell, have got their first taste of this season’s Mercedes during a shakedown test at a wet Silverstone on Wednesday (February 14). Russell, meanwhile, is confident heading into the new season.
He said: “We’ve learnt and grown as a crew over the previous two seasons. It’s not been plain crusing, however I actually imagine the journey we have been on will make us stronger in the long term. The entire crew has been working extremely arduous and we hope to have made a step with the W15.
“We made progress with some of the nastier characteristics of the W14 throughout last year. But we still had a narrow operating window and, once we were outside of that, the car was difficult to drive. If we can continue to widen the operating window of the car, that will provide confidence for us as a drivers and from there, lap time is easier to find.”
