Even before the eleventh season in the Mercedes and at the age of 38, Lewis Hamilton has lost none of his will to win and his desire to race – on the contrary.
“I can’t remember the last time I was so excited to get in the car,” said the British superstar after the presentation of the new Formula 1 Mercedes: “It’s like Christmas.”
New racing car black again
As in 2020 and 2021, the Silver Arrow will again be painted black, and as in 2022 it will stand out with its extremely narrow sidepods. “He looks good,” enthused team boss Toto Wolff at the presentation of the W14 in Silverstone, before the challenger model started its first laps.
You have to beat Red Bull with two-time champion and defending champion Max Verstappen. “We may not be the fastest from the start, but we have the potential to close the gap quickly,” emphasized Hamilton. And team boss Wolff is also cautious at first. “I don’t think we can compete from the start.” Nevertheless, he assured: “We leave no stone unturned in search of milliseconds. This year we will do everything to return to the top.”
Mercedes also had to admit defeat in the Red Bull Constructors’ World Championship last year – after eight victories in a row. Verstappen also defended his 2021 title in the drivers’ standings.
The Dutchman prevented Hamilton’s eighth world title in the Red Bull again, with which he would be the sole record holder in the premier class of motorsport. The 38-year-old Briton still shares the record with Michael Schumacher. “I always believe that I can get even better,” emphasized Hamilton, who loves the challenge of teasing even more performance out of himself.
In January 2010, 54-year-old Michael Schumacher was also the focus of attention at the presentation of the first Formula 1 Mercedes after returning as a works racing team during his comeback for the German car manufacturer. Son Mick Schumacher will be there as a reserve and simulator driver for Mercedes this season.
Mick Schumacher as a reserve driver at Mercedes
23-year-old Mick Schumacher assured him that he would do his best to support the regular drivers and “for myself: I’m here to learn to take as much with me as possible and to use it in the future.” After two years, he had not received a new contract with the American Haas team. “I hope these guys don’t have fish poisoning, but you definitely deserve to be in a car,” Wolff told Mick Schumacher.
The second regular Mercedes driver alongside Hamilton is his British compatriot George Russell, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Wednesday and emphasized: “We’re all here to win, it’s that simple. We all don’t want to repeat it in 2022.”
