FIA Steward Suggests Lewis Hamilton Is Being Affected by

FIA Steward Suggests Lewis Hamilton Is Being Affected by Favouritism at……read more

A former F1 driver and FIA steward, Johnny Herbert, has suggested that Lewis Hamilton’s recent struggles in Formula 1 may be linked to a shift in focus at Mercedes as the team looks ahead to the future, particularly to 2025 when George Russell is expected to take the lead role. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, has faced a challenging season in 2024, with performance issues, car difficulties, and frustrations during races, leading to speculation about his future at the team.

Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes at the end of the 2024 season had already been confirmed earlier in the year, with the British driver set to join Ferrari in 2025. This announcement set the stage for a transition at Mercedes, with Russell emerging as the team’s future star. However, Hamilton’s final season with the team has not been smooth sailing, as he has struggled to consistently match the performance of his teammate, George Russell, throughout the year.

Despite his two victories earlier in the season at Silverstone and Spa, Hamilton’s results have been disappointing for the most part, particularly in the recent triple-header of races. In the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Hamilton crashed out, while in Brazil, he finished a distant 10th place. After the Brazilian race, he expressed his frustration, claiming that his car had the “worst ride it’s ever had” on the Sao Paulo circuit. These performances have raised questions about Hamilton’s form, with some observers suggesting that his abilities may be in decline.

In contrast, Russell has generally outperformed Hamilton in recent races, contributing to growing speculation about the seven-time world champion’s form. Russell, who has been part of Mercedes since 2022, has appeared to have a better grasp of the car’s limitations and has frequently been the more consistent of the two drivers in 2024. This has led some pundits to wonder whether Hamilton’s performance slump could be the result of internal factors within Mercedes.

Johnny Herbert, who competed in F1 during the 1980s and 1990s and later became an FIA steward, offered an intriguing perspective on the situation. According to Herbert, part of Hamilton’s performance issues might stem from a shift in focus within Mercedes as the team prepares for life after Hamilton. With the future of the team increasingly oriented around George Russell, Herbert believes that Hamilton may be receiving less support from the team as Mercedes begins to prioritise its plans for the 2025 season and beyond.

Herbert suggested that Mercedes is, to some degree, already “favouring” Russell in the lead-up to next year, when he will take on the role of team leader. “Lewis is coming to the end of his time at Mercedes, and George is the future,” Herbert said. “They want to make George feel as positive as they can before next season when he is the team leader. He is delivering too now.”

Herbert also pointed out that while Hamilton still possesses raw speed, his results have been inconsistent. “There are times when he shows his real raw speed, and then it all vanishes,” Herbert remarked. He also noted that Mercedes’ car, which has struggled with performance fluctuations all season, has not helped either driver, suggesting that both Hamilton and Russell are facing similar issues with the car’s setup.

However, despite these challenges, Herbert believes that Mercedes’ attention and resources may increasingly be directed toward Russell as the team prepares for the future. He also suggested that the team may be more inclined to direct energy and input into supporting Russell’s development, particularly with the knowledge that Hamilton’s time at Mercedes is drawing to a close. This shift in focus could be a contributing factor to Hamilton’s frustrations, as it may appear that Mercedes is less invested in maximizing his performance as they look ahead to Russell’s tenure as team leader.

Herbert’s comments highlight the complex dynamics at play within Mercedes during Hamilton’s final season. While Hamilton remains a legendary figure in the sport, the team’s future strategy seems to revolve more around preparing for the next generation, with Russell positioned to take on a leadership role. This shift in focus might be contributing to Hamilton’s struggles, as well as the tensions and frustrations he has expressed over the past few months.