Years Before His Mercedes Reign, Lewis Hamilton Was Predicted to Fail By McLaren F1 Boss: “He’s Made An Awful Mistake…”

Lewis Hamilton and his blockbuster move to Mercedes back in 2013 was the talking point for much of the season. At that time, however, it was seen as a gamble since McLaren was a well-established team, while Mercedes was an up-and-coming outfit in Formula 1. Critics considered this decision as a poor one since he was moving backward.

The former McLaren team principal, Martin Whitmarsh, questioned Hamilton’s intentions behind the move. Back in 2012, he also believed that the Briton regretted his decision to join the Silver Arrows.

He said, “I think he has on occasions [regretted it]. I hope he thinks today that he’s made an awful mistake and I hope he thinks that next year. If I were speculating there are a number of factors, and the prime one, I think, is that there comes a time when a man feels he has to flee the nest.”

Mercedes offered more wages, including bonuses ($31 million) compared to McLaren’s offer ($22 million). So many, including Whitmarsh, suspected that Lewis made his terms with the Brackley outfit because of the money factor.

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“We made Lewis an offer – an offer, which I believe is more money than any other driver at the moment is being paid. That leads us to suspect that our competitor and our partner Mercedes-Benz offered a bit more money. I don’t know that, but I think for Lewis made his decision,” he added.

What Lewis Hamilton said regarding the move from McLaren to Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, was surprised by Whitmarsh’s comments. He stated that the decision was a tough one to make, as he has been with McLaren since the age of 13.

Speaking during his last race with the Woking outfit in 2012, he said, “It doesn’t worry me. I’m really excited to go there. I feel fantastic about the decision – I’m massively excited about working with new people. It is a fantastic team. I know they have lost their way a little bit at the moment, but I’m going to go and help them find their way.”

Hamilton came to McLaren as a rookie and left as a world champion. He had experienced the highs and lows with the team in his stay. But he wanted a breath of fresh air and moved to a team who were showing constant growth. Ultimately, it proved to be right as history speaks for itself.

Hamilton’s legacy at Mercedes

After Hamilton announced his departure, Mercedes did not score a point in the next four races. So it was clear that he had an uphill task. However, he has silenced his critics in some fashion.

As F1 moved to a new era in 2014, Mercedes stepped up and stunned their rivals. Hamilton won 2 consecutive championships in style while his teammate Rosberg won the 2016 title. After the German retired, Lewis took it upon himself and single-handedly dominated Formula 1 till 2020.

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He broke records time and again and currently has the most wins ever in the sport. 186 podiums, 103 wins, and 7 world titles later, he is arguably the greatest driver in Formula 1. The boy from Stevenage has left a legacy that the F1 world will forever remember.