F1 world champion Damon Hill has questioned whether Lewis Hamilton may have “underestimated” Mercedes’ ability to recover from its lean years and might be second-guessing his decision to move to Ferrari.
When the seven-time world champion announced his departure from Mercedes earlier this year, it seemed like a calculated decision.
Ferrari, after all, appeared as the team best-placed to challenge Red Bull’s dominance, while Mercedes had floundered under F1’s ground-effect regulations for a second consecutive season.
But as the sport’s 2024 campaign unfolds, the tides are turning, and questions are now being raised about whether Hamilton might be harboring regrets about his choice to leave the team that brought him so much success.
Mercedes, rejuvenated by a wave of new developments and strategic changes, has clawed its way back to the front of the grid. The Silver Arrows have won two of the last three races, with Hamilton himself standing atop the podium once again, a sight that had become all too rare since 2021.
Meanwhile, Ferrari has regressed, weighed down by a car lacking consistency and the outright speed of its direct rivals.
Reflecting on the current state of affairs, Hill offered a rather sobering perspective on what Hamilton might be feeling as he prepares to leave Mercedes.
“He's had such an incredible time with Mercedes, and at the time he made the decision [to leave], I think he'd quite understandably thought that Mercedes had reached the buffers,” the 1996 F1 world champion told Top Gear.
“But maybe he underestimated them, because they are making a comeback and they could well be competitive.”
With the current set of technical regulations running for one more year before F1 undergoes a major overhaul in 2026, next year’s championship is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory.
Seven different drivers have already claimed victory this year, making it clear that next season will be wide open. And with Mercedes on the upswing, Hamilton might be wondering if he’s leaving just as the team is poised to return to the top.
“It would be sad if he moved to Ferrari and Ferrari weren’t competitive,” Hill added. “Because it would mean that he will be denied that chance to get the eighth title which many people believe he should’ve had.”
Indeed, the shadow of Abu Dhabi 2021 still looms large over Hamilton’s career. That controversial finale, where a late safety car and a contentious race restart allowed Max Verstappen to snatch the title from the Briton’s grasp, is still a sore point for many.
Hill, however, believes that while the outcome was bitter, it’s part of the sport’s harsh reality.
“I'm of the view that unfortunately you have to take the results as they stand,” Hill explained.
“In any sport, the umpire’s decision is final, even if the umpire was wrong. So that's one of those anomalies and unfortunate things that happen in sport.”
©Mercedes
But even if Hamilton’s Ferrari adventure doesn’t bring him another championship, Hill remains optimistic about what the move could mean for the sport.
Comparing the 105-time Grand Prix winner’s switch to Nigel Mansell’s move to Ferrari in 1989, Hill believes that Hamilton’s presence in the iconic red car will be a sight to behold.
“I would love to see Lewis fighting for his eighth title, and it's going to be amazing seeing him in a Ferrari. It's going to be very exciting,” Hill enthused.
“I think that it will add such a lot to the sport, and it's an unwritten story. We don't know how it's going to turn out, but it's going to be fascinating.”
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