Martin Brundle doubts Lewis Hamilton’s assertion that his departure from Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025 will evoke strong emotions.
Hamilton, concluding a 12-season tenure with Mercedes, will unite with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari following the 2024 season.
Reflecting on this transition during Mercedes’ 2024 car unveiling, the seven-time world champion described it as “very surreal” and acknowledged experiencing an emotional period.
However, speaking on the recent episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Brundle contested the sentimentality surrounding Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes, characterising him as a “winning machine”.
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“I don’t buy all of this ‘it’s going to be emotional’, leaving [Mercedes],” he remarked. “Lewis is a winning machine and that is what he wants to do.”
Highlighting the lucrative nature of Hamilton’s new contract and the considerable attention the move will attract, Brundle envisioned a plethora of positives.
Mercedes is yet to determine Hamilton’s successor alongside George Russell for the 2025 season.
Potential candidates include F2 standout Andrea Kimi Antonelli, alongside established names such as Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, and Fernando Alonso.
Brundle advised Mercedes to exercise patience in selecting Hamilton’s replacement, emphasising the array of options available.
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“Everybody has got an opportunity here,” he asserted. “George Russell has got this shiny confidence, the talent, the speed and the experience to pick up the mantle and be the number one driver at Mercedes-Benz – I have no doubt about that at all.”
Brundle advocated for a cautious approach, suggesting Mercedes assess Antonelli’s performance along with other potential candidates throughout the upcoming season.
He also anticipated a revitalised dynamic within both Mercedes and Ferrari, buoyed by the anticipation generated by Hamilton’s move, and saw no downsides in the situation.