Mercedes dismantle Hamilton misconception after Ferrari move

Mercedes' Andrew Shovlin has rubbished the idea that Lewis Hamilton 'gave up' towards the end of his time with the team. 

Hamilton brought down the curtain of a successful 12-year spell at Mercedes at the end of 2024, departing for Ferrari, in a difficult final season.

Although he won two races, including the British GP to end a long win drought stretching back to 2021, his final races with the team were largely a struggle, including a dreadful weekend in Sao Paulo. 

He did rally to finish second in Las Vegas before signing off with fourth in Abu Dhabi, but his motivation was questioned at times, especially when he seemed determined to retire in Qatar after a penalty and puncture. 

However, Shovlin, who worked alongside Hamilton for all of his 84 wins and six world titles at Brackley refuted the idea Hamilton 'gave up.'

"It was definitely not a different Lewis, you saw the same Lewis, the same drive, the same determination, but the results haven't been there, and that no doubt affecting how happy we all are," he exclusively told RacingNews365.

"But if you look at Las Vegas, when we gave him the car he needs, he is dominant and the team will always look at these last three years, we desperately wanted to come back from 2021 to right that wrong and win a championship, but we didn't produce a car to do that.

"We've been trying for the last three years and we still haven't produced a car to do that, and we won't stop trying, but when we give him the right car, he'll stick it on pole, he can win races."

Andrew Shovlin exclusive

Mercedes stalwart Shovlin was actually with the team through its guise as Brawn GP in 2009, winning the titles with Jenson Button, as he paid his own tribute to Hamilton, who will drive a non-Mercedes powered car for the first time in his career in 2025.

"We are going to miss him, I will miss him because he's been such a big part of my career," he continued.

"A lot of people get into F1 because they want to be successful, but it is not easy to do because normally, you've got one or two teams winning and everyone else losing. 

"But if the reason you got into the sport was to be successful, then you are always going to miss a driver like Lewis, and we all play a big part, but he played a very big part in it and he allowed so much success to be enjoyed by this team. 

"He will always be a friend of the team."