As the Formula 1 world turns its eyes to Brazil this weekend to complete the triple header, a familiar narrative that has been missing for a couple of years is now re-emerging – two of the sport’s titans, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, are vying for victory again.
After two consecutive second-place finishes behind Verstappen, Hamilton is poised and ready for a rematch at Interlagos with his resurgent Mercedes.
Last year, George Russell clinched his first Formula 1 victory at the circuit, with Hamilton second. Might history be on the verge of repeating, as Mercedes steps forward amid a significant improvement in pace?
Reflecting on the past races and looking ahead to Brazil, Hamilton said before departing Mexico: “I was hoping maybe there’d be an opportunity to get closer to Max, but maybe next week.”
Toto Wolff, his boss, echoes Hamilton’s sentiments but is staying realistic. “Whether our package is good enough to beat Max… their package, the combination of driver, car, and power source… it’s very complete at the moment.”
Beyond the quest to chase down Verstappen again, Hamilton also has his eyes set on surpassing the other Red Bull – struggling Sergio Perez – for second overall in the driver’s standings. With the gap down to just 20 points, the possibility is well within reach but “It’s mostly dependent on Checo’s weekends really,” Hamilton noted.
However, he said finishing in places other than first is never his goal. “Hhonestly, it’s not going to make a big difference to my life, whether I come second or third,” the seven-time world champion shared, “It’s a bonus if we get second in the drivers.”
Former F1 driver Timo Glock, however, says the situation is only mounting the pressure on Perez amid ongoing rumours about his future. “Hamilton has currently found a good way to handle the car,” he observed, “The race pace is great. That’s why it will now be twice as difficult for Perez in the final races. It’s down to his nerves.”
In the background, Mercedes has undergone a significant internal change this week. Former technical director Mike Elliott, once a central figure in the team’s strategy, has exited after a tumultuous couple of seasons marked by the failed ‘no sidepods’ car concept. With James Allison stepping back into a more prominent role since April, the team is navigating through this transition.
“It’s clear that he (Elliot) is ready for new adventures beyond Mercedes. So I know this is the right step for him to take, too,” said team boss Wolff.