You don’t always see a driver miss out on the world championship by just one point in his rookie year. But then Lewis Hamilton is no ordinary driver. After finishing runner-up in his rookie year, the Briton got back up, shrugged off the dust, and finished the incomplete business next year in 2008. The team that put its trust in him was McLaren but then came a time when he outgrew them. That was when he forged a new partnership with a team that was nowhere near the top spot. Hamilton’s love affair with Mercedes started in 2013 and what a run they had until a roadblock they hit in 2021 turned into a giant mountain in 2023. In a recent interview, the boy from Stevenage talked about that and recalled the doubts he had in his mind when signing with Mercedes 10 years ago.

2022 turned out to be an embarrassing campaign for the Silver Arrows and Hamilton. The new regulations were too hot to handle for them. While the team could only manage one win in the entire season, the senior driver had none, for the first time in his F1 career. Turn the clock to 2023 and instead of things getting better, they’ve gone haywire. That is because there is a new challenger in the ring that is easily beating the former champions at their own game. What is more embarrassing is that the challenger, Aston Martin, buys a number of parts, including the all-important Power Unit from the Brackley-based organization.

Talking with Speedcafe, Hamilton said, “We don’t have a great car right now but we’re putting one foot in front of the other, and we know we can get back to the front. It’s going to be the hardest task we’ve faced together to get back to where we want to be and catch Red Bull.”

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The Mercedes ace raced his first with the team at the Australian GP. This weekend, he will celebrate the 10th anniversary of that milestone. In the interview, he also recalled getting cold feet while putting pen to paper.

Lewis Hamilton recalls why it was important for him to make a change

In sports, they often say that winning is a habit. In 2008, Lewis tasted victory and wanted more of it. But it did not happen for 4 years and that did not go down well with him. But signing for Mercedes, a team that was nowhere near challenging Red Bull and Ferrari? Almost every expert called the move ludicrous. But the future 7x champion had made up his mind.

He recalled, “Did it feel like a risk? Of course. When you make decisions, you go through changes and it’s always going to be a risk. But I would feel like I’m not living if I’m not taking risks, not constantly challenging myself and those around me.”

“It was the inevitable direction I had to go, and it felt right. I wanted something new.”

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Red Bull certainly is the team to beat, not just in 2023, but at least until the next set of regulations comes into play in 2026. But if there is a team that can do it, it’s Mercedes. If there is a driver who can once again shrug the dust off of himself and perform magic from behind the wheel, it’s Lewis Hamilton.