Hamilton ABSENT as Mercedes announce driver release

Hamilton ABSENT as Mercedes announce driver release

Lewis Hamilton’s absence was notable in Mercedes’ latest driver announcement, where only George Russell appeared, fueling anticipation for major changes in the team.

Hamilton, a seven-time world champion with six titles won during his 12-year tenure at Mercedes, is reportedly set to leave for Ferrari in 2025.

At Ferrari, he is expected to join forces with Charles Leclerc, with hopes of securing an unprecedented eighth championship title before he retires.

Replacing Hamilton at Mercedes will be the promising 18-year-old driver Kimi Antonelli. The Italian prodigy will step in as Russell’s teammate as Mercedes aims to re-establish themselves in the title chase.

Russell, now positioned as the team’s lead driver, will look to help steer Mercedes back into competitive form alongside Antonelli.

The 2024 season has been a challenging one for Hamilton, with the 39-year-old driver struggling to maintain his peak performance.

Despite a memorable win at Silverstone and an unexpected victory in Belgium, Hamilton has found it difficult to extract the best from his car, leaving him down in seventh place in the driver standings.

His younger teammate, Russell, has often outperformed him in qualifying, leading 16-5 over Hamilton with only a few races remaining.

Mercedes, meanwhile, marked Hamilton’s impending departure with a festive twist, releasing new holiday merchandise.

The latest items include a Christmas jumper featuring the driver numbers and cars, though only Russell was featured modeling the new gear.

Hamilton’s absence from this campaign raised questions, as he did not appear with his teammate in the promotional materials.

As Hamilton heads into his last races with Mercedes, fans and the F1 world are preparing for the end of an era at Brackley.

Hamilton’s upcoming partnership with Leclerc at Ferrari offers a final chance to break Michael Schumacher’s record and claim his eighth world title, while Mercedes, banking on young talent, prepares for a fresh start.