Why Lewis Hamilton was ‘upset’ with Mercedes before signing Ferrari deal

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Lewis Hamilton has had his fairytale moment in his final season with Mercedes. The 39-year-old won his home race at Silverstone last weekend for a record-breaking ninth time.

Hamilton hadn’t tasted victory since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but has now ended the longest drought of his career. Mercedes appear to be stronger than they’ve been at any point in F1’s ground effect era, so there could be more wins on the horizon too.

George Russell won the previous race in Austria and also took pole in Britain and Canada. Mercedes have had a car on the podium in each of the last four events.

Hamilton has now collected 83 first-place trophies with the Silver Arrows, in addition to six world championships. It’s the most successful partnership the sport has ever seen.

Some may now be beginning to wonder whether he made the right decision by signing for Ferrari. At the start of the year, it looked like a masterstroke.

The Scuderia were Red Bull’s nearest challengers, winning in Australia and Monaco. But a recent upgrade has backfired and dropped them to fourth in the pecking order.

Lewis Hamilton wanted more ‘commitment’ from Mercedes before Ferrari move

It was less than a year ago that Hamilton signed a new ‘two-year’ deal with Mercedes. But in effect, it was a one-plus-one contract, giving him the option to opt-out for the second year.

Over the winter, he activated that clause after successful negotiations with Ferrari. Toto Wolff insists he wasn’t surprised by Hamilton’s exit, even if it was a move that stunned the F1 world.

In a column for Racer, journalist Chris Medland reports that both driver and team feel the relationship has ‘run its course’. Hamilton was ‘upset’ that Mercedes showed a ‘lack of commitment’ during contract talks.

Mercedes also had the option to terminate his deal after 2024 should they so desire. Reports elsewhere claim Hamilton sought an ambassadorship after his racing career, but the team refused.

What Hamilton did when Mohammed Ben Sulayem tried to congratulate him at Silverstone

Hamilton’s British GP proved to be almost universally popular. His dominance of the sport used to inspire resentment, but most welcomed his overdue return to the top step.

Russell and Lando Norris both congratulated Hamilton despite suffering their own disappointment. And FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem tried to do the same.

But Hamilton appeared to snub Sulayem, walking past him rather than engaging in conversation or properly shaking his head. He’s publicly declared that the 62-year-old has never had his support.

While in parc ferme, he also shared a moment with his father Anthony. Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok was annoyed that F1 positioned a microphone nearby, arguing that Hamilton deserved privacy after one of the most emotional moments of his career.