Hamilton 'emotional burden' heading into 2024 season revealed
Hamilton 'emotional burden' heading into 2024 season revealed
Toto Wolff has spoken about Lewis Hamilton's 'emotional burden' heading into the start of 2024.
The seven-time world champion has suffered a disappointing start to the season, sitting down in 10th in the drivers' standings following a seventh and ninth-placed finish, as well as a DNF, in the three races so far.
READ MORE: Mercedes F1 star will 'MISS' Japanese Grand Prix
Hamilton himself described it as his 'worst ever start' to a Formula 1 season, putting it below the previous two seasons, in both of which he failed to claim a single race victory.
The Brit will head to Ferrari at the end of this season, ditching his Mercedes team in the pursuit of an unprecedented eighth world championship title.
Hamilton's timely decision
Now, Mercedes team principal Wolff has spoken about when Hamilton first told him of his decision to make the move to Maranello.
He suggests that Hamilton wanted to get the announcement out of the way before the 2024 season in order to be able to focus on his goal of returning Mercedes back to winning ways.
“I think it was difficult for him to really tell me because he left for the Christmas holiday and was Mercedes forever,” Wolff told Fox News Australia at the Australian Grand Prix.
“Normally that’s a time where we don’t speak a lot because he’s gone, because otherwise we’re speaking every day. And then he came back and said, 'can we have a coffee?'
"He came for the coffee, that’s the normal thing we’re doing when the season kicks off, and he said, ‘I’m leaving to Ferrari’. And I said, ‘really?’
“And not that it shocked me, because we knew that we have a short-term contract, but the timing at the beginning of the season.
“I said, ‘why at the beginning of the season?’ He said he just wanted to have it out and not have it as a burden, emotional burden."
READ MORE: Mercedes driver suggests Hamilton struggles could be irreversible
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Current F1 star qualifies for world championship race on two wheels
- 34 minutes ago
Ricciardo given HUGE boost after upgrade claim
- 1 hour ago
‘Absolute b******s’ - Newey’s wife SLAMS Red Bull F1 claims
- 2 hours ago
Norris INJURED at party with legendary DJ
- 3 hours ago
Newey tipped to POACH key Red Bull staff if he joins F1 rivals
- Today 18:57
F1 paddock favourite admits immense DOUBTS over Verstappen Red Bull future
- Today 17:57
Related news
Hamilton in Arsenal title wish after STUNNING revelation
Cullen relationship blossoms with new star after moving on from Hamilton
Incredible statistic puts Verstappen AHEAD of Hamilton record
Fierce rival calls Hamilton F1's GOAT in surprise admission
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860