Lewis Hamilton’s Crucial Final Lap: Why Ending on a High at Mercedes is Vital Before Ferrari Move Amid Team Chaos Concerns

Lewis Hamilton must join Ferrari "with a winning mindset" | "The team is in disarray"

"That’s not the kind of history he wants to carry to Ferrari. The team is in disarray – it’s a challenging environment to work in."

Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 F1 world champion, thinks it is crucial for Lewis Hamilton to finish his tenure with Mercedes on a high note before moving to Ferrari next year.

Hamilton is set to conclude his 12-year career with Mercedes by the end of this year, after which he will make a surprising transition to Ferrari.

Prior to the British Grand Prix, Hamilton had been experiencing an extended period without a victory, approaching almost 1000 days.

In summary, although Hamilton has secured two victories for Mercedes, his teammate George Russell has often been more remarkable, especially during the qualifying sessions.

During an appearance on Sky Sports' F1 Show in Azerbaijan, Villeneuve discussed the importance of Hamilton finishing the season strongly.

"It's crucial," he stated. "It's been a significant amount of time. People have perceived him as successful when the car performed well effortlessly, but when challenges arose, Russell seemed to have a slight edge."

"He doesn't want to carry that burden to Ferrari. The team is known for being disorganized and challenging to work with. You want to join them as a proven winner."

Hamilton had an excellent Friday in Azerbaijan.

Aged 39, he secured the third-fastest time in the second practice session, trailing Charles Leclerc by only a tenth of a second.

"It was an excellent day," Hamilton stated. "I had a great time today. I started off strong right from the beginning and gradually improved the setup step by step."

“For the first time, it seemed like we weren’t retracing our steps at all. Progress was steady and continuous. I’m not sure how my endurance holds up against others, but we didn’t get a lot of laps in.”

"Red Bull appears to be very fast, just like Ferrari. We are close to their level."

Although Hamilton was happy with Mercedes' speed, he is still being "careful" about their prospects for victory.

"I'm honestly not sure," he said. "Today, it's impossible to know the fuel levels of the other teams. Usually, by the time we reach P3 or qualifying, everyone improves, but that's not always been the case for us. We'll remain careful and make the most of our resources. I hope we're as close to the leaders as it appears. We'll see tomorrow."

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