Zak Brown Advises Mercedes & F1 Against Building False Hopes Over Lewis Hamilton’s Return

As we head towards the start of the 2022 Formula One season, there is one major concern that continues to irk the entire racing community – Is Lewis Hamilton ever coming back after going off the radar late in December 2021?

Well, although Mercedes F1 boss, Toto Wolff, and FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, have been offering their responses to the ever-growing buzz, nothing seems certain yet. Hence, quite unfortunately, the chances of Hamilton quitting the sport still exist.

Wolff admitted that he cannot say anything for sure about whether or not Hamilton is joining the grid this year. Meanwhile, Sulayem recently acknowledged that the seven-time world champion is not 100% ready to race in the sport.

Now, amidst the ever-growing uncertainty, McLaren F1 boss, Zak Brown, advised F1 against building up false hopes over the return of Hamilton. However, he did opine that Hamilton still has a ‘burning desire to race’, which bolsters his chances of racing alongside George Russell in 2022.

Watch Story: When F1 Drivers Had a Blast on Top Gear Featuring Hamilton, Vettel & Ricciardo

McLaren boss hoping Lewis Hamilton returns

As reported by Reuters, Brown admitted that he wouldn’t be shocked if Hamilton suddenly announces his retirement from Formula One.

“I wouldn’t be shocked if he stopped. So I don’t think anyone should take for granted he’s coming back,” he told reporters at the McLaren factory.

“My personal opinion is he’s going to (return). But, I don’t think we should discount or not recognise his frustration, his anger. I don’t think we should rule it out or make light of it. I just personally think he still has a burning desire to race and that will ultimately drive his decision.”

He further mentioned that Hamilton wouldn’t want an incident to end his racing career. “I don’t think he’s ready to retire. I don’t think he’s going to let an incident put him into retirement,” Brown concluded.

Overall, it almost looks like Hamilton will jump into the soon-to-be-revealed 2022 Mercedes F1 challenger, W13, in the coming days. But, when will the Briton openly acknowledge his return to F1? Or, amidst promising signs, will Hamilton pull out of the sport in a shocking turnaround? We’ll know soon enough.

Read More: Why do F1 Drivers Train Their Necks?