Mercedes Shares Hamilton’s Self-Doubt as Team Aims for Triumphant Finale Before 2025 Ferrari Move

Mercedes expressed that they share Lewis Hamilton's feelings of "self-doubt" as they aim for a successful outcome. "We're all questioning how we made that mistake and why it happened once more."

Andrew Shovlin, the head of trackside engineering at Mercedes, confessed that the team experienced the same uncertainty as Lewis Hamilton amid their challenging period in Formula 1.

Between 2022 and last month’s Austrian Grand Prix, Mercedes secured victory in only one race.

The team has experienced a significant decline in performance following their streak of championship victories, finding it challenging to adapt to the current generation of F1 cars.

Lately, an improvement in Monaco appears to have revitalized their season, as George Russell secured a victory in Austria, and Hamilton triumphed once again at the British Grand Prix.

After securing his first victory in almost three years, Hamilton discussed the uncertainties he faced and questioned if he still possessed the skills needed to succeed in Formula 1.

In an episode of the F1 Nation podcast, Shovlin discussed the concerns Mercedes experienced as a team following the creation of their "third consecutive underperforming car."

"It was bound to happen, and I believe the entire team has experienced a phase like this," he commented. "After releasing our third consecutive poorly performing car, we all questioned why we repeated the same error and how it happened once more."

"It certainly makes you think about your actions. Given that we haven't had a car capable of competing at the top level, it has been challenging for Lewis, as he is a driver whose natural instinct is to win races."

"He’s faced a challenging period recently, dealing with numerous unfavorable outcomes. However, not every race was a setback, as he competed against George, a very fast and formidable opponent. There have been plenty of races where Lewis outperformed George. The main issue was that we lacked a competitive car capable of securing victories."

After 12 years with the team, Hamilton will be joining Ferrari in 2025. Shovlin emphasizes that everyone at Mercedes hopes to give the seven-time world champion a “happy ending.”

He mentioned that when Lewis declared his move to Ferrari, it motivated everyone to make this year unforgettable. They aimed to end on a high note with something worth celebrating.

"The whole team was optimistic that this year we could return to winning races and achieving good results. It would be truly unfortunate if Lewis, whose remarkable career chapter with Mercedes has been nothing short of extraordinary, ended with three consecutive seasons without a win."

"We're pleased for him and for the team. Our greatest wish is for Lewis's journey to conclude on a positive note."

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