Lewis Hamilton has finally driven a new Mercedes which has made him smile, unfortunately, it’s not his 2024 Formula 1 car.
After two woeful seasons, Mercedes are starting from scratch in 2024 and are set to introduce a completely new concept, which they hope will allow Hamilton and George Russell to take the fight to Red Bull and Max Verstappen.
Whilst the Brackley-based side haven’t given Hamilton a good car since 2021, the German manufacturer have been hitting the mark on the road, especially with the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+.
Hamilton was given the chance to drive the new car on a racetrack, with him having been left seriously impressed by its “power delivery”.
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Mercedes released footage on social media of Hamilton driving the car, seemingly enjoying himself considerably more than he has done all year.
Despite finishing third in the Drivers’ Championship and ending 2023 59 points ahead of Russell, Hamilton failed to claim a race win once again.
The seven-time World Champion’s most recent victory is still the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, meaning it’s been two years since the 103-time race winner stepped foot on the top step of the rostrum.
For a driver of Hamilton’s calibre, this is extraordinary and deeply frustrating for him.
He’s urged Mercedes to give him a car which can compete with the frontrunners, with him having been pleased at what he’s seen in the wind tunnel ahead of next season.
There is no hiding the fact that Hamilton is running out of time to claim an unprecedented eighth title, something he would’ve claimed two years ago had ex-race director Michael Masi followed the rules.
The Stevenage-born driver extending his deal with Mercedes to the end of 2025 is a clear indicator that he still believes in the Silver Arrows, it’s just a case of the team rewarding Hamilton with a good car for his belief in them.
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It’s imperative that Mercedes make a strong start to next season from the get-go in Bahrain, as that’s where everything started to fall apart almost 12 months ago.
Mercedes and Hamilton knew after the first race that the W14 wasn’t good.
That feeling cannot be sensed again in March if the side are to improve and compete for the championship.