Hours After $127,000,000 Renewal, Hamilton Stresses on 2-Word Motto to Serve Verstappen Clear-Cut Warning

For the past couple of seasons, Red Bull and Max Verstappen have dominated Formula 1, not just on track but—with all the records they’re breaking—also the headlines to come out of race weekends. With just one move, though, Mercedes has reclaimed bragging rights. The move? Announcing that Lewis Hamilton has signed a contract extension that’ll keep him at Brackley until the end of 2025, a two-year deal worth a whopping  $127 million. Now that the contract negotiations are finally out of the way, Hamilton and Mercedes are set to move forward, all guns blazing, sending a strong warning Red Bull’s way.

“Our story isn’t finished,” Lewis Hamilton wrote on Instagram to announce his stay in Formula 1 with Mercedes—a team that’s been his home for the past decade—for another two seasons. With just that statement, it became clear their partnership, which has grown to become formidable, has much more in store. And Hamilton gave a sneak peek at the plans they have.

Lewis Hamilton & Co. are coming for Red Bull

Before dropping the ball in 2022, Mercedes was at the helm of the sport for eight years—from 2014 to 2021—winning every Constructors’ Championship during that time. Considering Hamilton won six of his seven titles in that time, the Brackley team’s form since 2022 came as a surprise to everyone, even more so to Hamilton.

So when the seven-time champion walked into the drivers’ press conference on Thursday at the Italian GP, he revealed he and his team have “unfinished business.” 

Those two words alone piqued everyone’s interest, urging them to ask what he meant exactly.

“We’re trying to win more championships. I think the unfinished business is getting us back to the top. It’s getting back and fighting for the world championships,” said the Brit. “We’ve been the most successful team in history…the most successful run in the past 10 years or whatever. It’s been a challenge this past year.”

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Hamilton concluded, “I think, yeah, getting us back to where we belong and operate on all those cylinders, which you’re seeing Red Bull do.”

At the rate Verstappen and Red Bull are progressing currently, it’s difficult to imagine any other team at the front. But Mercedes and Hamilton know what it’s like to lead the sport and get everyone to follow. Despite Red Bull’s dominance that’ll seemingly continue for a while, Hamilton revealed exactly why Mercedes could be the team to break that streak.

Hamilton & Co. are “hungrier” than ever

To be fair, after watching Mercedes dominate the sport for the better part of the last 10 years, it took everyone by surprise to witness the team struggle in the midfield. As Hamilton said, the past couple of seasons have been nothing short of challenging for the team. But this time away from the front—where the seven-time champion knows Mercedes belongs—is fueling its drive to regain that form.

In his statement to Mercedes, after news about the contract extension broke, Hamilton said, “We have never been hungrier to win. We have learned from every success, but also every setback. We continue to chase our dreams, we continue to fight no matter the challenge, and we will win again. I’m grateful to the team who have supported me both on and off the track. Our story isn’t finished; we are determined to achieve more together and won’t stop until we do.” It’s clear Hamilton has his eyes set on that elusive eighth world title, and until he gets it, it looks like F1 is—in his words—stuck with him.

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When do you think Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton will return to the front of the field?