Why Lewis Hamilton was blocked from making F1 debut in 2006 by Ron Dennis after Juan Pablo Montoya quit McLaren

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Lewis Hamilton is about to embark on his 19th season in Formula 1 with a new team as he starts a new journey with Ferrari.

The Brit has only ever driven for two teams, winning seven drivers’ championships between stints with McLaren and Mercedes.

Hamilton has hopes of winning an eighth and has made the big move before the 2026 F1 regulations in the hope that he has two great opportunities at least to achieve his dreams.

Winning with Ferrari would be almost the perfect way for a legend of the sport to sign off, and he may just be able to bring some joy back to a team in desperate need of some winning again.

Hamilton confidantes think he could reach another level at Ferrari, which would be timely considering his struggles against ex-teammate George Russell in 2024.

Ferrari expect Hamilton’s Australian Grand Prix debut to be ‘super competitive’ next month, but it will also depend on what sort of car they give him and Charles Leclerc.

Lewis Hamilton was blocked from making F1 debut early in 2006 by Ron Dennis

2006 was the last time that Hamilton was not on the Formula 1 grid, nearly 20 years ago. He has forged quite a legacy since then.

Hamilton exploded like a volcano after winning a title with McLaren in 2009, just his third year in the sport when he was faced with some tricky circumstances. The team had a very poor car.

Before that, the last time they faced such difficulties was back in 2006. After Juan Pablo Montoya left the team prematurely, Hamilton was overlooked by team boss Ron Dennis to make his Formula 1 debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

READ MORE: Why Lewis Hamilton was left ‘peeved’ when Jenson Button arrived at McLaren as his F1 teammate

Looking back, his talent was undeniable and it’s clear that he probably would have been ready. Suffering with a poor car that season, his boss didn’t want to throw him in at the deep end.

“I would much rather see him as [well] equipped as he could be if he is given the chance of racing for McLaren in the future,” Dennis told The Guardian at the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix.

“I can’t see throwing him in the deep end is a particularly smart thing to do.”

Lewis Hamilton knows he did something that wasn’t ‘right’ when leaving McLaren

After six seasons with McLaren, Hamilton took a big plunge and headed for the midfield Mercedes outfit ahead of the 2013 season.

It was a very bold move at the time, and some believed that there was a chance he would never win a race again.

Hamilton knows he did something that wasn’t ‘right’ leaving McLaren because he didn’t inform his team of his exit in person.

READ MORE: Jennie Gow pinpoints the attitude problem Lewis Hamilton had at McLaren before ‘extraordinary’ change

They struggled after his departure and didn’t win a race until 2021, making the Brit’s move a masterclass in hindsight.

Who knows what would have happened if he made his debut a little earlier, but throwing him in at the Brazilian Grand Prix would have been something special for him.