Lewis Hamilton says signing new Mercedes contract ‘not about revenge’ for 2021 F1 world championship defeat
Lewis Hamilton has signed a two-year contract extension with Mercedes that will keep him on the Formula 1 grid until the end of 2025; watch the Italian GP live on Sky Sports F1 all weekend – Qualifying on Saturday at 3pm and the race on Sunday at 2pm
Lewis Hamilton says his decision to sign a two-year contract extension with Mercedes was not motivated by a desire for “revenge” following his controversial 2021 world championship defeat to Max Verstappen.
Hamilton was cruelly denied a record eighth drivers’ title when a controversial ruling gave Max Verstappen the opportunity to overtake the Brit on the final lap of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the Dutchman sealing his maiden championship.
Since that moment, Verstappen has dominated the sport and the Red Bull driver is well on his way to a third successive title, while Hamilton is without a win since the race that preceded the 2021 finale.There was optimism Mercedes were closing the gap as they ended the campaign strongly, but 2023 has turned out to be even more dominant for Red Bull, who have won all 13 races and will have Verstappen going for a record 10th successive victory on Sunday.
“On the 2021 thing, I’m not really a revenge person, it’s not about revenge, it’s not about redemption,” Hamilton said after the extension was announced on Thursday.
“And I truly believe that with this team we can win more world championships and more races together, so that’s where all my energy is going.”Mercedes’ struggles led to speculation Hamilton could retire or seek a move elsewhere, with reports from Italy earlier this season having linked the 38-year-old with a blockbuster switch to Ferrari.
Hamilton says he has seen enough behind the scenes to convince him that the team, with whom he was won six of his seven titles, can return to contention.
“We’re trying to win more world championships,” he said. “The unfinished business is getting us back to the top, it’s getting back and fighting back for world championships.
“We’ve been the most successful team in history, the most successful run in the past 10 years, but it’s been a challenge this past year, so just getting us back to where we belong, and operating on all those cylinders, which we’re seeing Red Bull doing.
“It’s what you see, it’s not necessarily what someone says. It’s the work that you’re doing, it’s the meetings we’ve been having with all the engineers, with [technical director] James Allison and the whole group back at the factory – the heads of all the departments coming together and talking, and just really engaging better than ever before about where we are, the mistakes we’ve made, why we’ve made those decisions and why we won’t make them again, and where we’re going.
“And just all having that confidence in each other that we are the best at what we do, and that when we come together, given time, we will get to where we need to be.”
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