Lewis Hamilton has “got to be excluded from conversations” at Mercedes, says former F1 driver

Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes ahead of the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix | Getty

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill said that Mercedes needed to start excluding Lewis Hamilton from conversations during the last 10 races of the season. The seven-time world champion will be leaving the German team at the end of the 2024 season to join rival Ferrari and drive alongside Charles Leclerc.

In early February, the 39-year-old announced his exit from the Brackley-based outfit, where he has spent 12 trophy-laden years of his career, winning six of his seven driver’s championships and guiding them to eight consecutive constructor’s championships.

While appearing on F1 Nation, Hill spoke about Mercedes and Hamilton’s working relationship for the remainder of the 2024 season. He said (via PlanetF1):

“I think it’s got to, hasn’t it? I mean, he’s got to be excluded from conversations to do with whatever’s coming for next year. They don’t want to show many insights that he might take to Ferrari, particularly. So it may be he’s deprived of a little bit more information than he’s liked in the past.

“But they are an honorable team, Mercedes, and I think Toto [Wolff] is an honorable person. I think that he’ll always be treated fairly within a team, but there’s only so much you can give away, isn’t there, when you’ve got a guy leaving.”

Lewis Hamilton on where he stands on question of retirement from F1

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has said he would “strategize” and “sequence” his decisions and priorities before deciding to retire from the sport. The 39-year-old had been racing at the pinnacle of motorsport since the 2007 season and has only missed one race in his storied career, the 2020 Sakhir GP due to Covid.

Speaking with Esquire, Hamilton shared one key reason that could sway his mind toward hanging up his helmet. He said (via Crash.net):

“I definitely do. There are days I’m like, ‘shoot, I don’t know how much longer I can go.’ There are days I’m like, ‘shoot, I’d love a break, a proper break,’ because you don’t get a real big break in the season like other sports. You don’t finish until mid to late December, and then you’re back into training already in January, and that’s two times a day you’re training,” he said.

He added:

“But I do have mentally a plan of where I would like to extend to. I’ve just got to strategize and sequence things. I’m very much about sequencing, like looking at brands that I collaborate with, companies that I’m essentially starting, how I manage my time between all those, and how I’m able to dedicate myself to this job still.”

Hamilton has signed a two-year deal with Ferrari and has the option to extend for another season, into 2027.