Hamilton's Torrid Affair Isn't Over Yet

Seven time Formula One World Championship winner Lewis Hamilton is undoubtedly having a poor final year with Mercedes, and having finished 11th in Saturday's Sprint and 10th in Sunday's race to secure only one point at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, it kind of sums up his 2024 calendar.

Race fans have long known that the 39 year old would be ending his 12 year stay at Mercedes and moving on from the success he has had with them down the years, to take up a new challenge at Ferrari at the end of the campaign, but after another torrid time rumours surfaced suggesting that his current employers were contemplating replacing him for the final three races that remain.

The claims were made on the back of his own remarks over team radio, and then his post race interviews, that led some to believe his time with them could be cut even shorter than originally expected and for those who use online sports betting they will be keeping a close eye on the odds for these claims.

Whatever the truth of those comments may have been, Mercedes moved very quickly to quell the suggestions that were growing on social media and in the press. Hamilton's actual words just acknowledged that it was a 'disaster of a weekend' and he just simply stated that it was the 'worst the car has ever been', and then he thanked the team and the pit stop crew for their efforts.

The controversial point came when he said 'if this is the last time I get to perform' as many have clearly read into that and deduced that it was questionable as to whether or not he would race for them again. People doubled down when he later added that he 'could happily go and take a holiday' as opposed to racing in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Looking at his exact words though, it seems to just be an acknowledgement that hopes of going out on a high were over now and he seemed resigned to that fact, knowing the next three races would simply be a slog regardless of what happened. Many have also pointed out that some of the Sao Paulo team with not be present for the next three rounds of the season, and Hamilton was simply thanking them in isolation.

But I imagine it is a rumour that will now not go away as despite Mercedes sources indicating to the media that they had no doubt Hamilton would be driving in the next three races, their efforts were not an official comment and nor would anyone be named on the record.

The next race will soon be here and everyone will have their answer then.