Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton sent a cryptic message after the Brazilian Grand Prix, sparking speculation that he may be considering an early departure from Mercedes.
The weekend in São Paulo proved to be a mixture of highs and lows for Hamilton.
He had the rare opportunity to drive Ayrton Senna’s MP4, a dream moment for the British driver, but faced a challenging competitive weekend with Mercedes.
Hamilton struggled in qualifying, starting 12th for the sprint race on Saturday after a disappointing Friday, and finished the sprint race in 11th, out of the points.
Throughout the weekend, he and other drivers expressed frustration with the freshly resurfaced Interlagos track, which caused significant bouncing and discomfort.
By Sunday, after a qualifying session that saw him fail to progress out of Q1 in wet conditions, Hamilton began the main race from 14th.
Despite his difficulties, Hamilton managed to salvage a point with a 10th-place finish in the race.
Following the event, he delivered an emotional message over team radio, saying,
“That was a disaster of a weekend, guys. That’s the worst the car has ever been but thank you for continuing to try, great job to all the guys at the pit stop.
If this is the last time I get to perform, it’s a shame it wasn’t great but grateful for you.”
This remark left fans wondering if Hamilton might be contemplating leaving Mercedes before the end of the season.
Speculation about a possible early exit is fueled by the presence of 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli, who is being touted as Hamilton’s successor for 2025 and beyond.
Hamilton has mentioned needing a break after a tough weekend, and while it’s not entirely unexpected if he were to step away from Mercedes before his rumored 2025 move to Ferrari, the team has confirmed that there are no plans to replace Hamilton early.
