Lewis Hamilton is about to bring the most successful chapter in any Formula 1 driver’s career to a close.
The partnership between Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes has lasted 12 seasons and has been incredibly fruitful for both parties.
Hamilton arrived at Mercedes in 2013 with a single championship to his name, earned with McLaren in 2008.
He heads for Ferrari as a seven-time world champion and played a key role in Mercedes winning eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships.
Unfortunately, Mercedes’ performance has dropped off during the current set of regulations, although Hamilton’s pair of victories at Silverstone and Spa this year have at least given him something to look back on fondly during his final year with the Silver Arrows.
However, there’s no room for sentimentality in Formula 1 when the margins are so fine and Hamilton’s move to one of Mercedes’ closest competitors would have caused a few logistical issues.
Mercedes communications chief Bradley Lord was speaking on the Formel 1 YouTube channel about the preparations the team are making for his exit.
Previously, it has been suggested that Hamilton is no longer attending pre-race meetings at Mercedes.
Lord has dismissed this claim but does admit that the 39-year-old is not privy to all the information coming out of the team right now.
Bradley Lord shares which Mercedes meetings Lewis Hamilton isn’t involved in ahead of Ferrari move
Lord was asked if there comes a point where Hamilton is no longer allowed to be involved in things and said: “Much more is being made of it than is the reality.
“These meetings [without Hamilton] do not take place at the track. There are no secrets on the track.
“There is nothing where Lewis is not involved on the road.
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“It’s maybe one or two meetings here at the factory where he was longer [involved] or will not be towards the end of the year.
“So, these involvements, this topic that he is excluded from things or can’t take part in more, they are really a handful of meetings and no more than that, and nothing changes on the track.
“So, the difficult thing for us on the track was the results and the predictability of the car.”
Lewis Hamilton’s feedback invaluable to the development of Mercedes’ F1 car
Hamilton not being involved in every meeting in the factory at this stage of the campaign isn’t a surprise.
Much of the talk at this point will be about the 2025 car and Mercedes won’t want to give away any of their ideas to someone who could take them to a rival team with them.
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Hamilton and Russell’s approach to feedback differs and their different way of talking to mechanics and engineers compliments each other well.
It will be up to Russell to take on more responsibility in that relationship next year alongside rookie Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli has impressed during private Mercedes tests, but there’s a difference between being responsible for a car behind closed doors and pinpointing changes that need to be made after an hour-long practice session.
He’s got the biggest shoes in Formula 1 to fill and while Hamilton is by no means being frozen out in Mercedes meetings yet, it won’t be long before Antonelli is given that responsibility.
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