Lewis Hamilton Uncomfortable With “Strange Transition” to Ferrari During “Most Painful” Mercedes Year

Ferrari has booked Lewis Hamilton and it’s only till the end of the season that Toto Wolff will get to call the 7-time world champion his driver. When the news broke out, it was absolute chaos, with fans and pundits speculating the reason for the transfer. Although Hamilton states that it was not due to him being unhappy with the team, many believe otherwise.

While moving from Mercedes to Ferrari might be a good move on his end, it will be a difficult one. Working at Silverstone was quite easy for the Briton driver, as the English team has been his home for over a decade. It won’t be the same when he moves to Ferrari, though. The Italian team will require him to travel to Maranello regularly, and he will have to learn a little bit of Italian to bridge the communication gap. However, the Mercedes world champion spoke about his transition in an interview with CBS Mornings. So let’s take a look at what he had to say, shall we?

Lewis Hamilton opens up about the transition to Ferrari

CBS reporter Gayle King had a seat with Lewis Hamilton after his show at 5th Avenue in New York. Hamilton made the day for hundreds of fans by doing donuts on the road. The show was put on to promote their sponsor, WhatsApp, the messaging and calling app. After Hamilton blasted some rubber on the tarmac, it was time for him and Toto Wolff to flip the switch for the Empire State Building’s light show. The show came with a display of projections and lightwork featuring promotions for Mercedes and WhatsApp.

Upon completing the show, Hamilton was interviewed by Gayle King who asked him about his transfer to Ferrari and his remaining time in Mercedes. King stated, “You surprised the racing world. It was big news when you decided that you’re going to be leaving Mercedes. I’m thinking it may be the last season with Mercedes, but I think you wanted to be the best season with Mercedes.”

To this, Hamilton responded, saying, “True, I do, and that’s probably the most painful part right now. You know, I think everyone in the team, they want it to be a great year. Everyone’s worked so hard back at the factory, no less than any ever before. For me, this whole journey has been massively emotional. Just because I have so much love for this team.”

He explained that the reason of his transfer was not due to being unhappy, stating, “I‘m not leaving ’cause I’m unhappy, there. I’m not leaving because of relationship issues.” Only to say, “This Mercedes has supported me since I was 13, yes. So there’s, like, I love the brand, I love the people. The people I’ve seen you with this team, and they’ve been with me through thick and thin. So it’s definitely a strange transition at the moment.”

But if Lewis Hamilton has so much love for the team, why did he quit?

Lewis Hamilton’s eyes are on the prize

If you are wondering why Lewis Hamilton would walk out of Mercedes after 11 years of driving with them, the answer is quite simple. To win the 8-time driver’s world championship, of course! Hamilton is currently tied with Michael Schumacher at 7 wins, and he is still driving in F1.

Currently, Mercedes is on a downward trajectory, and despite wanting to perform well, Hamilton does not impress anyone with his results. On the other hand, Ferrari is showing more promise by the season. They were the only team to win a GP last year that was not won by Red Bull and that’s the reason it’s become the choice for Hamilton.

That being said, do you think Lewis Hamilton will be able to bag this eighth title with Ferrari? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.