- Lewis Hamilton did not win a single Formula One race within the final two seasons
- The newest sequence of Drive to Survive goes behind the scenes at Mercedes in 2023
- Hamilton will be seen pissed off – and he reveals engineers ignored his recommendation
Lewis Hamilton has revealed Mercedes engineers ignored his recommendation on the best way to repair their automobile forward of his winless 2023 season.
The seven-time world champion went on so as to add that he ‘cannot actually bear in mind what profitable’ appears like as he opened up on his struggles with the Silver Arrows within the newest sequence of Netflix hit Drive to Survive.
The sixth sequence, which airs from immediately, exhibits a puzzled Hamilton querying why his recommendation on the best way to flip their type round was shot down as being ‘mistaken’.
‘Last 12 months I bear in mind complaining to the staff and saying “look, we have to make these changes otherwise this is the trajectory we are going to go on and this is where we are going to end up so please, please do something about it.”,’ he mentioned.
‘I keep in mind that day they mentioned, “we know what we are doing, you’re wrong.” That was positively an attention-grabbing second.’
Lewis Hamilton (left) noticed his pleas to Mercedes to repair their automobile forward of the 2023 season dismissed, leaving awkward viewing for staff boss Toto Wolff (proper) in a brand new Netflix sequence
Hamilton defined to engineers how a hard rear finish has plagued the staff for years
It left the Brit pissed off as his fears ultimately got here true when it was too late for staff to repair
Hamilton continued: ‘I stepped again, I did not need to step on anyone’s toes… then we received into the season and spoke once more and so they have been like, “maybe you were right”. So yeah…’
At the start of Episode 6: Leap of Faith, an irritated Hamilton is seeing throughout a industrial dedication.
He then goes on to clarify how Mercedes’ demise has affected him.
‘My objective is to get again on high and win a championship once more. But then we get within the automobile in 2023 and it is the evil sister [of 2022],’ he defined.
‘I can not actually bear in mind profitable, it has been like a minute to be trustworthy.
‘I do not bear in mind what that feeling is. It is what it’s, we have simply received to take it on the chin and simply acknowledge that we didn’t get it proper, we took the mistaken determination and begin taking huge strides in the suitable course… earlier than it is too late.’
Unfortunately, Hamilton would solely make the rostrum as soon as within the first six races and it rapidly grew to become obvious that he wouldn’t be touchdown a report eighth world title in 2023.
After the sixth race in Monte Carlo, the place Hamilton completed fourth, one scene exhibits him airing his frustrations over the staff radio.
‘The automobile is horrible, I really feel helpless,’ he mentioned.
‘I can try to ship every weekend however you may solely achieve this a lot with what you’ve got received,’ he mentioned throughout a Netflix interview.
After the race throughout the staff debrief, Hamilton made it plain that Mercedes’ issues are a recurring theme.
The weakest a part of the automobile is the rear finish,’ he advised staff personnel. ‘That wing can be a barn door, it’s totally very draggy. Last 12 months was the identical and the 12 months earlier than that was the identical.’
It is an episode the place Hamilton goes on to disclaim any conversations with Ferrari – the place he’ll now race from 2025 – earlier than committing to Mercedes in a sensational u-turn.
Despite reservations, Hamilton did signal a brand new two-year take care of Mercedes within the 2023 season
However, Hamilton’s bombshell 2025 transfer to Ferrari was confirmed earlier this month, and he’ll race alongside Charles Leclerc (proper) for the game’s most well-known staff from subsequent 12 months
Hamilton discusses his ‘leap of religion’ to signal a brand new contract with the Silver Arrows.
‘OK we have had two tough years however I nonetheless have a lot perception that Mercedes and all these folks on this staff have the flexibility to construct a terrific automobile,’ Hamilton mentioned.
‘You’ve simply received to take a leap of religion.’
He continued: ‘Toto [Wolff], he is listened. There by no means feels a time the place I’m not going to be a Mercedes driver. It’s my house, it is my household.’
Viewers get to see a vital assembly throughout negotiations between Wolff and Hamilton, the place Mercedes’ staff boss concedes that sticking to the automobile idea after a late surge of leads to 2022 set the staff again.
‘The largest failure,’ retorted Hamilton.
Wolff doesn’t promise that he’ll ship a title-winning automobile once more for Hamilton however does go on to say that Ferrari’s pink overalls ‘would not swimsuit’ Hamilton – which is ironic now his swap in 2025 has been confirmed.
Hamilton’s change of coronary heart implies that this season will mark the Brit’s last 12 months with the staff, who he joined from McLaren again in 2013.
Drive to Survive Series 6 is out now on Netflix