Mercedes gift Hamilton the perfect birthday present
“I don’t want a lot for Christmas my birthday,” Hamilton gingerly types into the Mercedes WhatsApp group.
“I just want you for my own to make a half-decent car. Thx x.”
Although we are unable to verify the sending of these messages or even the existence of a Mercedes WhatsApp group, we are most likely not far off.
As Hamilton approaches his 39th birthday, the truth is that he is no longer a spring bird and that time is running out for him to win that elusive record eighth world title.
Fernando Alonso is proving to us that age is truly only a number, but Hamilton must be worried about if Mercedes can give him one final chance before the curtain falls on his career because he never even imagined he would be racing into his 40s.
Given that he and George Russell agreed to a two-year contract that keeps them together through the conclusion of the 2025 season, we may assume that he will be around for the foreseeable future.
Everything is changing.
The sport’s rules and regulations will undergo a significant shift the year after that partnership expires. Mercedes probably sees this as their greatest opportunity to challenge Red Bull’s supremacy as the energy drink business tests whether their own engine can truly give them wings.
However, Hamilton, who was last on the podium at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021, may be growing irritated with a team that was once so fierce in their quest for triumph.
The truth is the Silver Arrows now look toothless compared to Red Bull, with teams knowing that unless he made a mistake of some sort, Max Verstappen would go on to win again.
Looking back to the 2021 Abu Dhabi finale – don’t panic, we are not going down that road – Hamilton would have scoffed if someone told him he were not to win another race until…well, that’s just it.
Where is the Mercedes innovation?
Mercedes have a mountain to climb during this winter break if they are to claw back ground to Red Bull. Yes they finished P2 in the constructors’ championship – but their points tally of 409 was less than half of what Christian Horner’s team amassed.
From a team that used to be at the forefront of design – remember DAS? – they now appear to be a shadow of their former selves.
While the ‘zeropod’ idea may have been a brilliant risk, it unfortunately caused the crew to lag even farther behind.
And let’s not bring up porpoising ever again.
Consequently, Hamilton will be hoping that Mercedes, a company he knows is capable of incredible feats, will once again work their magic behind closed factory doors as they gradually get ready for pre-season testing in Bahrain.
For his birthday, Hamilton could only have one wish; the issue is whether Toto Wolff and Mercedes will be able to fulfill it.
“Are you sure don’t just want an iPhone instead, Lewis?”
No, Toto. Not just now. Not right now.
