Charles Leclerc to Mercedes? Lewis Hamilton gives his take on the rumors of a potential switch

Lewis Hamilton is not bothered by rumors of Charles Leclerc potentially replacing him at Mercedes after his contract runs out. The Briton mentioned that he hopes to stay with his team until the end of his career.

Hamilton is not under pressure to try and secure a new deal with another team if Leclerc uses his early exit clause to quit Ferrari at the end of the year. The Monegasque is reportedly the top contender to take the seven-time world champion's Mercedes seat in the coming years.

There has been speculation that Hamilton and Leclerc could potentially switch teams in order to re-energize both squads or that Hamilton may retire. This would allow Leclerc to take his place, as neither Ferrari nor Mercedes seem to have the capability to challenge Red Bull at the moment.

When asked if he was feeling pressured to sign a new deal, Lewis Hamilton said ahead of the 2023 Azerbaijan GP where Sportskeeda was present:

“No, not really. I think maybe some of the drivers will speak or have relationships with different bosses and stuff. No, I like where I am, I love my team and I think I’m grateful for the journey we’ve been on and what we’re working on moving forward so… doesn’t have any impact, no.”

F1 pundit claims the Lewis Hamilton-Mercedes era is over

According to Dutch F1 commentator Rob Kamphues, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes' dominance in the sport has concluded. Kamphues highlighted Max Verstappen's victory at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP as the conclusion of the Mercedes era.

Despite Hamilton's unwavering pursuit of his eighth championship title, his team has failed to provide him with a competitive car that can rival the new front-runners, Red Bull.

The advent of the ground-effect era in F1 has resulted in challenges for the Silver Arrows, as they have had difficulty comprehending the aerodynamic regulations of 2022, placing them at a disadvantage compared to other teams.

The seven-time world champion has not secured a victory since 2021 and was surpassed by his younger teammate George Russell in 2022. Kamphues wrote in Formule 1 Magazine:

“Could something have snapped in the great champion? Lewis hasn’t won a race since that day, he hasn’t achieved pole, he’s never even started from the front row. In 2022, he also finished behind his younger teammate in the championship and that younger teammate also won the only race Mercedes won. Not to mention this season."

With the 2023 Azerbaijan GP well underway, it will be interesting to watch Lewis Hamilton's progress this weekend.