P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has denied that Lewis Hamilton’s choice to depart for Ferrari next year is related to upholding
Since 2014, Mercedes has dominated Formula 1, with Lewis Hamilton winning seven championships and over 100 race victories. However, Mercedes has struggled since the return to ground effect cars in 2022, and Hamilton has not won a race since December 2021. Mercedes is hoping to regain competitiveness in the upcoming season with a redesigned W15 challenger. Despite speculation that Mercedes’ latest attempt at the regulations had caused Hamilton to lose faith in the team, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff confirmed that Hamilton had driven the new car on the simulator. The issues Mercedes has faced can be traced back to the development of the ‘zeropod’ solution, and Hamilton expressed disappointment that changes he had requested weren’t made. While Hamilton’s impending move has drawn comparisons to his switch from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013, Wolff denied that the prospects for the 2026 regulations were discussed during their recent meeting. Wolff believes that Mercedes will continue to win without Hamilton, and while a driver’s input is important, it should not be overestimated in the development of a car.
