Tom Coronel suggests Lewis Hamilton has lost belief in himself amid Mercedes' struggles
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The 2024 Formula 1 campaign saw both new talents rise to prominence and others struggle as established figures faced challenges. Max Verstappen secured the championship, while Tom Coronel observed a shift in the confidence of one of the sport's biggest stars.
Many consider 2024 to be one of the best seasons in recent memory, rivaling even the intense battles for the title between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in 2021. Across the 24-race season, seven different drivers from four teams claimed victories, with each of them securing multiple wins. Max Verstappen was the dominant force, taking nine Grand Prix wins. Lando Norris, who claimed his first victory in Miami, earned four wins, while Charles Leclerc, with three wins, was also a strong contender. Meanwhile, four other drivers managed to clinch two victories.
Among the notable drivers was Lewis Hamilton, who, despite being in the midst of a turbulent year with Mercedes, still won two races. This season also marked the end of his long tenure with Mercedes, as the British driver prepares to join Ferrari in 2025 to team up with Charles Leclerc. His farewell year, however, didn't go as he had hoped. At 39, with his 40th birthday approaching in January, Lewis Hamilton's 2024 campaign was far from the triumph he envisioned.
For the first time in his illustrious career, Lewis Hamilton finished as low as seventh in the drivers’ standings, despite securing two wins and five podium finishes. His performance in 2024 was widely regarded as his worst yet. The way Lewis Hamilton dealt with this underwhelming season raised concerns for Tom Coronel, who believes the British driver's confidence may have been shaken.
The Dutch professional racing driver expressed his confusion about Lewis Hamilton’s situation, admitting that he had been very excited about the driver's move to Ferrari before the season started. However, as the season progressed, Tom Coronel’s enthusiasm for Lewis Hamilton’s future diminished. He observed a noticeable change in Lewis Hamilton, feeling that the British driver no longer seemed to believe in himself.
When hearing the British driver speak, Tom Coronel was left wondering where the fire and passion had gone, questioning where the determination that once defined him was now. He even expressed a desire for Hamilton to embrace the Ferrari challenge and return to his former brilliance, urging him to don the red suit and shine once again.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion is expected to be highly motivated to turn things around once he joins Ferrari. Even Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has noticed that Lewis Hamilton has seemed “very flat” over the past few years. Horner went so far as to suggest that the British driver’s connection with Mercedes had grown somewhat "stale" and that Hamilton had appeared deflated. Now, with his move to Ferrari, Hamilton has a chance to rewrite his narrative.
Hamilton will soon get his first taste of life as a Ferrari driver. In January, he is scheduled to test an older Ferrari car at Fiorano, marking his first time behind the wheel of a non-Mercedes-powered Formula 1 car. This will allow him to familiarize himself with the team and its equipment before making the switch.
The 39-year-old will be keen to make an immediate impact with Ferrari, especially after the team's strong 2024 campaign, which saw them narrowly miss out on the Constructors’ Championship. Ferrari fought McLaren for the title all the way to the final race in Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, ultimately falling short by just 14 points, while Mercedes finished a distant fourth, 198 points behind.
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