Mercedes-Benz

LEWIS HAMILTON is still the fastest driver in Formula One according to one rival on the grid.The seven-time World Champion is currently in the longest winless streak of his career, but some still think he is the fastest man in Formula One.
Lewis Hamilton (R) has had a rocky start to the 2023 season compared to Max Verstappen (L), who currently leads the Drivers ChampionshipCredit: Rex
The F1 legend ended up behind his team-mate George Russell (R) in last season’s Drivers ChampionshipCredit: Alamy
Hamilton tried to experiment with set-ups to improve the troublesome W13 during the first half of last season, and was consistently outperformed by his team-mate George Russell.
He also missed out on the team’s only win of the year, coming second to Russell at Interlagos.
But former team-mate Valtteri Bottas has said he thinks Hamilton is still faster than every other driver on the grid.
The now-Alfa Romeo driver thinks that Hamilton is faster than Max Verstappen, who is currently leading the Drivers championship.
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Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Bottas said “I think he’s still the quickest driver on the grid.”
Even when asked whether Hamilton is faster than the likes of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, Bottas stuck to his guns, replying “Yeah. To me, he’s the fastest.”
The Finnish driver will know better than anyone how Hamilton operates, having shared a garage at Mercedes with him for five seasons.
That makes Bottas the Britain’s longest-associated team-mate in his 17-year-long career.
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When asked what separates Hamilton from the rest of the grid in terms of how he goes about his work, Bottas revealed one of his secrets.
He said: “Well, first of all, he’s annoyingly talented. But on top of that, he works way harder than people actually think outside the race weekends.
“And in the race weekends, he’s quite often the last person to leave the paddock.
“It’s just that combination and he’s got a big drive inside him to always do well.
“His average baseline performance is so good and then he’s really consistent as well, so it makes him hard to beat.
Hamilton (L) and Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas (R) were team-mates for five seasonsCredit: Getty
Bottas said Hamilton works harder than people think he doesCredit: Getty
“When I could beat him, that was obviously on a good day, but on average, I never quite managed to.”
Hamilton was happy with his result in last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, battling his way up from 13th to finish sixth.
He stuck around in Miami after the race, and was spotted for a second time with pop star Shakira.
Footage of the pair in a restaurant had emerged on social media just a few days earlier, sparking rumours about their love lives.
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And now the two have been spotted enjoying a sunny boat trip together with friends.
Shakira was picked up from her £16million Miami Beach mansion, with Hamilton helping the singer into the open top cruiser. More

LEWIS HAMILTON won’t leave Mercedes as there are no other viable options, claims Jensen Button.The seven-time world champion is set to be out of contract with the Silver Arrows at the end of the season.
Lewis Hamilton came sixth in Sunday’s Miami GPCredit: Splash
While they are reportedly working on a new deal, Hamilton has been linked with a sensational Mercedes exit – with Ferrari having been mentioned.
But Button, Hamilton’s former McLaren team-mate, doesn’t think a switch to the Scuderia, or anywhere for that matter, makes sense.
While appearing on Sky Sports over the weekend, Button said of Hamilton: “Well, he’s loyal, but I also don’t think he’s got the options that he would want.
“I don’t really think he would have the option at Red Bull – I don’t think he would be the right fit alongside Max [Verstappen].
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“I don’t think he’d be at Ferrari. Aston Martin? Definitely won’t be going to Aston Martin, they’ve got two seats that are going to be filled there for a little while.”
Button, a world champion in 2009, also thinks that going through difficult times together could strengthen the bond between Mercedes and Hamilton.
The 43-year-old added: “I think his future will be at Mercedes but he is also a loyal character and it’s good to see him going through some tough times with that team.
“I think they will come out the other side together. You know, it’s a rollercoaster in Formula 1, especially when you’ve been on top for that long, there’s going to be a dip.
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“But if you can stay with that team, they will rise to the top again, and he’s not going to retire.”
Hamilton squashed retirement talk while chatting to ESPN, claiming that he is still in his prime.
But he did admit that he’d imagined himself driving for another team, albeit while calling Mercedes “home”.
He said: “I’d be lying if I said I’d never thought about ending my career anywhere else.
“I started at McLaren, I’d like to think I’ll always be a part of the McLaren family, I started there when I was 13-years-old [as a junior driver], so I thought about what it would look like if I was at McLaren one day.
“I thought about and watched the Ferrari drivers on the screens at the track and of course, you wonder what it would be like to be in red… But then I go to my team, to Mercedes, and this is my home.
“I’m happy where I am. I haven’t signed a contract yet, but we are working on one.”
Hamilton came sixth in Sunday’s Miami GP, having started 13th on the grid.
He is fourth in the driver standings, already 63 points behind Verstappen in the vastly superior Red Bull car.
Jenson Button reckons Hamilton will stay with MercedesCredit: Splash News More

MERCEDES team principal Toto Wolff has said the team are “100 per cent committed” to keeping Lewis Hamilton.Wolff also expects to see the former world champion chase a record eighth Formula One title next year.
Lewis Hamilton is currently enjoying some down time before the Miami GP this weekendCredit: Getty
Toto Wolff wants Hamilton to stay beyond this year
This confirmation of commitment to Hamilton comes as rumours are flying around the F1 paddock.
There are even some suggestions that Hamilton could perhaps walk away from the sport altogether.
However, these have been denied by the Brit.
There has also been speculation that Mercedes will make a move to steal Charles Leclerc from Ferrari.
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Indeed, gossip emerged that Leclerc and Hamilton could swap places next year.
However, these have also been put to bed.
Ferrari are currently in a better place than Mercedes car wise, and so Leclerc will remain “fully committed” to the Italian team.
The Ferrari poster-boy took his first pole of the season with an impressive performance in the new qualifying format at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix  last weekend.
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When asked about Leclerc, Wolff said: “I think he’s 100 per cent committed and loyal to Ferrari and it’s his contract.
“And in the same way we are 100 per cent committed to putting pen to paper with Lewis.”
Wolff added that no conversations had taken place between Mercedes and Ferrari.
When pressed on the subject, the Austrian executive responded that the press ‘want that headline’.
Hamilton will be 39 next year and has not won a race since the December 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
His team have since fallen behind the dominant Red Bull.
The seven-time world champion’s contract with Mercedes is set to expire at the end of the season, but Wolff has now indirectly declared that the team will offer him an extension.
Discussions about next year will likely come down to Mercedes’ ability to provide Hamilton with a car capable of truly challenging the Red Bull drivers.
The Mercedes boss added to formula1.com: “That is what it looks like at the moment, and we just need to give him a car that can do that.
“And hopefully we can get our package to a winning package this season and have something that can bring him his eighth title, and no doubt he is motivated to achieve this.

“That’s something he wants to do, that’s his ability, we have a great relationship personally.
“And with the team he’s been a strong pillar over the last 10 years, so we are in a really good place”. More