Button suggests LACK OF INTEREST in Hamilton from rival teams

Dan McCarthy
Wednesday 10 May 2023 10:57

Jenson Button believes Lewis Hamilton will stay at Mercedes for the 2024 season due to a shortage of viable options from elsewhere on the grid.

The seven-time world champion is out of contract at Mercedes at the end of this season and although there is seemingly a willingness for the two parties to continue, no new deal has been signed.

Indeed, there is some speculation that Hamilton may look elsewhere, because of the lack of a competitive Silver Arrows car in the last two seasons.

Hamilton is gunning for what would be a record-breaking eighth Drivers' Championship title but that looks unlikely right now with the Mercedes car struggling for pace.

Speaking about Hamilton's future, his former McLaren team-mate Button provided some pretty downbeat analysis, saying Hamilton may have no choice but to stay with the Brackley-based team.

“Well, he’s loyal, but I also don’t think he’s got the options that he would want,” Button told Sky F1 at the Miami Grand Prix.

Button rules out other top teams

Hamilton has been with Mercedes since 2013 and his spell as a whole has been an enormous success.

Six of his titles have been with Mercedes, with the manufacturer dominating much of the last decade.

Yet the new regulations introduced at the start of 2022 saw the team fall back in the pecking order and for the first time in his career, Hamilton failed to win a race in a single calendar year.

Those recent failings mean the Briton has not yet committed his future to Toto Wolff's team.

However, Button struggled to see Hamilton fitting in with any of the other front-running teams in the sport and said he should ultimately stay with Mercedes.

“I don’t really think he would have the option at Red Bull – I don’t think he would be the right fit alongside Max [Verstappen]," the 2009 champion added.

“I don’t think he’d be at Ferrari. Aston Martin? Definitely won’t be going to Aston Martin, they’ve got two seats that are going to be filled there for a little while.”

“I think they will come out the other side together (Hamilton and Mercedes). You know, it’s a rollercoaster in Formula 1, especially when you’ve been on top for that long, there’s going to be a dip.

“But if you can stay with that team, they will rise to the top again, and he’s not going to retire.”

READ MORE: F1 drivers out of contract: Hamilton heads select group