It wasn’t all sunshine and flowers during Lewis Hamilton’s lengthy and successful F1 career. He was fortunate to play on teams when they were at their greatest. But his immediate environment wasn’t always the most positive. The Briton made the significant choice to go from McLaren to Mercedes back in 2012.
Lewis Hamilton desired a new challenge from another team after failing to capture his second world championship in 2008. It is despite the fact that McLaren had a quicker vehicle at the time.
Ron Dennis, who levelled some derogatory remarks against the Britishman, served as an additional catalyst for his action. The team’s and the driver’s relationship was severely harmed by this.
Martin Whitmarsh, a former team manager at McLaren, commented on Lewis Hamilton’s difficult relationship and period there:
“He was extremely cosseted at McLaren, terribly controlled by two people [his father and Dennis] he wanted to disassociate himself from. Although they had helped him develop, they ultimately stopped him from growing. He may have believed that in order to live and develop further without those two dominant figures, he had to learn to be himself.”
Whitmarsh noted that although Lewis Hamilton and his father presently get along great, this wasn’t always the case. He continued by saying that Hamilton’s choice to join Mercedes was one of his most challenging ones since it gave him the chance to regain control of his career. The previous team principal of McLaren stated:
“It was the hardest choice he had ever had to make. He felt strongly about it. However, I had a gut feeling that it was the best choice for him at the time, and it has since shown out to be just that.”
Lewis Hamilton outlined his goals for the future of his old squad
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Fortunately, Lewis Hamilton went on to win six of his seven world titles with the team, proving that the switch to Mercedes was a blessing in disguise.
Lewis Hamilton still has fond memories of McLaren after leaving the company in 2012 on a bitter note. The seven-time world champion admitted to Channel 4 that while knowing that McLaren is a rival of Mercedes, he still monitors their development and secretly hopes they succeed in Formula One.
Despite the fact that McLaren is a rival of mine, Lewis Hamilton said: “I like looking at them. I constantly check where they are since that was where I started, and I’m always wishing them well.”
Lewis Hamilton’s first world title, along with a number of podium finishes and race victories, came in 2008 while racing for McLaren.
