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Lewis Hamilton's former teammate Heikki Kovalainen believes that the Briton will not leave Mercedes anytime soon. Instead, he will help the team as much as possible to bring back their glory days.
After Mercedes' poor start to the 2023 F1 season, several rumors and speculations have been making the rounds regarding Hamilton's future in F1. However, Kovalainen feels that nothing will change.
In an exclusive interview with Mirror Sport, the former Finnish F1 driver revealed he met Hamilton last year in Hungary and had a talk with him. He said:
"Personally, I don't see that coming - to me, he's committed to Mercedes. I met him in Hungary last year and we had a good chat there. Without going into detail of what was said in a private conversation, the body language and the feel I got from him, I just felt that this is something that he wants to turn around."
He added:
"He [Lewis Hamilton] wants to turn things around for Mercedes and that’s going to tick another box on his resume – to show that it's not that he's only been driving good cars and making the most of the good cars, but that he can actually turn a struggling team around and lead that team."
Kovalainen praised Lewis Hamilton and claimed that only he can turn Mercedes around and make them into a winning team again. The Finn has put all his faith in the seven-time world champion to do so.
He concluded:
"That's the reason why I'm thinking he's not going to change. I feel he wants to turn this thing around with Mercedes and then he can show the world that he can turn a struggling team into a winning team again. It's going to be exciting to watch and I 100 percent believe he has the skill and the will. If anyone, he can probably do it."
Kovalainen was teammates with Hamilton back in 2008, when they both drove for McLaren.
Lewis Hamilton confirms he will stay with Mercedes beyond 2023
Lewis Hamilton recently declared that he will be staying with Mercedes, debunking any speculation or rumors of him changing teams in the future. He mentioned that he has been supported by the Silver Arrows since he was 13, proving the long bond he has with the team.
He told the official F1 website:
“It’s ultimately people creating rumours without facts. It’s never helpful. I have been [supported by] Mercedes since I was 13. Having the difficult year we had last year, [I’m] still here, and whether or not we have a difficult year this year, I’ll still be here. I’m a fighter and we fight as a team. I love the challenge of finding solutions and I still believe I’m able to put the car in places that perhaps others are not able to – and I love that challenge."
