Lewis Hamilton May Have “Written This Year Off”; Cannot Wait to Get “Red Overalls On” According to F1 Analyst

The more we race, the more we realize how down in the dumps Mercedes is and the more we realize how correct Lewis Hamilton was to make a switch to Ferrari. Every passing weekend we see Mercedes sink further into the pit they dug up for themselves by their interpretation of the 2022 regulations. As a result, we’re witnessing the worst start to a season by the 7x world champion in Formula 1, perhaps ever. However, Hamilton does not look, sound, or perhaps even feel as agitated as he was last year and F1 analyst Marc Priestley believes it’s because he’s already written his year off.

In Australia, especially, the Mercedes Challenger has been the most unreliable as it’s ever been all season. Hamilton proved that in his statements after his disastrous qualifying. The most concerning factor is that this is the third year under unchanged regulations and still the team back in Brackley is in the dark. They still can’t pinpoint the problem areas and clearly, solve them. This is exactly in a post-race interview Hamilton couldn’t help but laugh at his misery proving to the experts on the F1: Chequered Flag podcast that Hamilton has written this year off and is already halfway to Ferrari.

The former McLaren mechanic said, “Of course, if you’re Lewis Hamilton at least you’ve got an exit out of this. You know that there is a move to Ferrari coming at the end of this year so maybe that might explain why he’s sort of a little bit abjective about all of this, he’s not so despondent. This is not the future of his career hanging in the balance here with this Mercedes like it is for George Russell and would’ve been if you’d asked him two years ago.”

Further added, “This is a Lewis Hamilton that might be starting to resign to the fact that he’s going to write this year off and he cannot wait to get those red overalls and they can’t come quickly enough.”

The Australian GP would’ve been extremely painful if Hamilton was tied down with a contract. Lucky for him, it’ll be someone else’s problem from next year and he had a front-row seat to his future team securing an incredible 1-2 in Albert Park. However, this inclination toward Ferrari is not newfound because the Brit saw the Italian team’s progress well in advance.

Lewis Hamilton sang Ferrari praise months before he signed with them

Months before aligning himself with Ferrari and painting his future red, Hamilton could also see the upward trajectory the Italian team was on. He saw glimpses of it in 2023 and we saw it too, toward the end of the last campaign. Sure, they could only secure one win. However, Ferrari is catching up and Hamilton saw that and confessed it as seen in a Drive to Survive clip.

He said, “Ferrari have been really strong in the last couple of races, they’re pushing big time to beat us. On one side it’s exciting, on the other it’s definitely nerve-cracking. Ferrari is gonna be up there.”

And “up there” they are with the Australian GP as proof and the qualifying sessions of the 2024 season so far. Let’s hope, for Hamilton’s sake, Ferrari can continue this trajectory and close the gap. The 2025 season will be a ‘one to watch’.

Read More: “It’s Three Years in a Row”: Dejected Lewis Hamilton Goes on a Brutal Rant As Toto Wolff & Co’s Issues Reach Tipping Point