Lewis Hamilton & Mercedes: why the story is not yet over

Lewis Hamilton's extension with the Mercedes AMG F1 team is a continuation of one of the most iconic and powerful partnerships in modern motorsport. While they may have fallen on the wayside from the introduction of the sweeping 2022 regulations, many don't need to be reminded of the brilliance between this driver and constructor pairing. Here's why they are both hungry for more.

The history

Sir Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes F1 Team have one of the greatest track records of success in the sport. With six drivers' world championships, a record-breaking eight consecutive constructor’s world titles and 82 victories together, the partnership will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest in the sport. Convinced to make the risky switch from McLaren over to Mercedes by the great Niki Lauda, many doubted that Hamilton would be able to replicate the success he experienced in his early years in F1. Instead, he rose above and beyond.

The records now speak for themselves. He now holds the record for the most wins in F1 (103), most pole positions (104), most podium finishes (195) and the joint-highest number of world driver’s championships in F1, with seven, alongside the incredible Michael Schumacher. In a remarkable showing of consistency, Hamilton holds the record for the most consecutive points-scoring finishes in F1 (48) and over 60 consecutive races finished without retirement between 2018 and 2021. The partnership has been reliable, consistent and monumental, spanning over several seasons in an ever-evolving sport.

The brand and its perspectives

When you think of Mercedes in F1, you think of Lewis Hamilton. When you think of Hamilton, you think of Mercedes.

Such is the legacy of the two modern iconic names in the sport. The sheer dominance on display from 2014 through 2020 has cemented the partnership as one of the greatest in the sport, rivalling the likes of Senna-McLaren and Schumacher-Ferrari. Whatever happens from this point forward, the greatest of their legacy together has already been written. Undoubtedly, the team still want to push to add a few more chapters of success to their story and now fight as underdogs against the current might of Verstappen-Red Bull.

There are new stories that they wish to write together as well. Lewis Hamilton has now found a new purpose in promoting gender and racial equality through the sport and the broader motorsport community. Through the tumultuous year of 2020, it was Lewis Hamilton who founded “The Hamilton Commission” to improve racial representation through UK motorsport, alongside helping spearhead the “We Race as One” initiative set up by F1. This has flowed on, with Mercedes now making a more conscious and marketed effort to show consideration to underrepresented groups in the UK and the world by providing learning and career opportunities with the teams.

The future aims

Without a shadow of a doubt, Mercedes and Hamilton have an aim of bringing wins back to the silver arrows and finding championship success once more. They’re a pairing so used to imperious victories, leading lights to flag, race weekend in, race weekend out. However, time is on neither side. Lewis Hamilton is (naturally) only growing older year on year and his skills and reflexes may suffer the effects of time. As for the team, the 2026 engine regulations could pose a major technical change, shaking up the grid once again. The window of success for both is gradually diminishing, but there is still a chance. 

One thing is for certain: neither can afford to make any more mistakes. Mercedes’ highly ambitious attempt at a “zero sidepod” aero philosophy has brought them nothing but more trouble and served as a technical “dead-end” in terms of design. As for Hamilton, in a now highly competitive field, any mistakes in this era of F1 could prove costly.