Jenson Button issues Hamilton retirement warning

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton both feature in our GPFans F1 Recap. — Photo: © LAT Images

Mercedes

Button issues Hamilton retirement warning

Is this a twilight moment for Hamilton?

Ewan Gale

Tuesday 21 February 2023 12:45

Former F1 champion Jenson Button has warned Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes that a failure to produce a winning car could signal the end of the Briton's career.

Hamilton had won at least one race in each of the first 16 seasons of his career before the W13 struggled to make an impression last term.

George Russell picked up the only win for the challenger as porpoising hampered the team throughout the year, as well as the car being overweight and having poor drag efficiency.

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Button, who partnered Hamilton at McLaren between 2010 and 2012, warned that the inability to compete could spark the end for his former team-mate despite a desire to extend his contract.

"It is something we all go through at some point in our career and it is the reason why a lot of people retire - they are not in a winning car anymore," Button told Sky Sports F1.

"That is why I left.

"You can deal with the pressure you put yourself under and the calendar if you are in a winning car.

"If you are not, then you think 'you know what, I have had enough, I want to get out'.

"Mercedes have given him a winning car for so many years, last year it didn't but the car did win a race last year so you would say the end of the year, they were strong and Lewis was on it.

"His performances were very consistent though the mid-to-end of the season, very quick."