Lewis Hamilton: “I'm not leaving because of relationship issues”

Lewis Hamilton insists he is not “unhappy” at Mercedes.

Hamilton is into his final year with the team which delivered six of his seven F1 championships before he makes a high-profile switch to Ferrari next season.

Since the ill-fated 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where an all-time record eighth title vanished amid controversy, Hamilton’s cars have not been competitive enough to compete with Red Bull.

Max Verstappen is edging towards a fourth title in a row this season.

Hamilton told CBS about his decision to quit Mercedes: "For me, this whole journey has been massively emotional.

“Just because I have so much love for this team.

“I'm not leaving because I'm unhappy there. I'm not leaving because of relationship issues.

"They've been with me through thick and thin. So, it's definitely a strange transition at the moment.

"We exist to win. And when you're not winning, your perspective has to shift.

“And it's just then about chasing and it's about improvement. It's about coming together.

“How can we make improvements? How can we get back to where we want to be?

“And rallying everyone up. I actually really enjoy that experience.

"But, three years in? I've had enough of this! Let's get back to where we belong."

A difficult F1 Miami Grand Prix last weekend for Hamilton saw him glumly concede that “that’s just the pace of our car”.

He is ninth in the F1 standings, 111 points behind leader Verstappen.

But a change of scenery at Ferrari in 2025 could revitalise his title hopes.

Hamilton will drive into his 40s while wearing the famous colours of F1’s most successful team.