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As Mercedes gear up for their new F1 campaign, team leader Lewis Hamilton and his race engineer, Pete "Bono" Bonnington, are preparing for their eleventh season together.
Lewis Hamilton has participated in 200 Grands Prix with Mercedes, a record unmatched by any other driver. He will embark on his eleventh season with the Silver Arrows this year, solidifying his place in the sport's history.
Reflecting on his relationship with Bono, Hamilton stated:
"I'm incredibly grateful for Bono. I've had an amazing journey with him, I think we've got one of the longest, if not the longest standing driver-engineer partnerships that there's been, and he's been hugely integral to my success."
This milestone marks a new record for Hamilton, as he will have spent most seasons with one team, equaling the record set by Michael Schumacher.
Alongside Hamilton, Bonnington will also celebrate his eleventh season with the team. Lewis Hamilton further said:
"We’ve had an amazing journey together, we’ve supported each other on and off-track, through good and bad times, and I love working with Bono; he’s like a brother to me, a brother from another mother."
The partnership between Hamilton and Bonnington has been a successful one, resulting in six drivers' championships, eight constructors' championships, and over 80 wins. The only exception was a couple of races in 2019 and 2022, where Hamilton's performance engineer, Marcus Dudley, stepped in.
Lewis Hamilton explains the origin of famous "Hammer Time"
One of the most iconic moments of their partnership is the use of American rapper MC Hammer's 'Hammer Time' as a call to push harder. Lewis Hamilton reflected on its origins, stating:
"I think I came up with Hammer time. I think because there was a point where he was like, 'Now it's time to push', and I got frustrated with it because I'm like: 'Dude I'm already pushing!' But I was like, if you're trying to signify 'now's the time to go all out, use everything you have', just tell me it's 'Hammer time'. That was part of the growth we had."
Mercedes have announced a launch date of February 15 for their new car. The Silver Arrows will hope that their new machine will take them to a ninth constructors' championship and allow Lewis Hamilton a record-breaking eighth drivers' title in 2023. As the team looks forward to the new season, they can be assured that they will have a solid and successful partnership at the helm.
