Lewis Hamilton's true feelings about Mercedes' prospects of winning championships in F1 again were almost uncovered by Netflix's microphones in the upcoming season of Drive to Survive . Season 7 followed the 2024 F1 campaign, which began in the aftermath of the British driver's seismic decision to leave the Brackley-based squad for Ferrari. It left the seven-time F1 drivers' champion and Mercedes with an entire 24-round slate to navigate under the cloud of that looming inevitability, with Netflix's cameras able to document what is widely considered one of the biggest driver moves in F1 history. Whilst there were undoubtedly some pull motivations behind the reason for the switch, there were also considerable push factors that led to Hamilton seeking pastures new in Maranello. In a candid moment picked up by the streaming platform, Hamilton was caught in discussion with Carlos Sainz - the man he replaced at Ferrari - early in the year. The 40-year-old was keen to ensure the displaced driver found a new home in F1, proffering Mercedes as a potential landing spot. At that stage, the Spaniard's future was uncertain, with the eight-time constructors' champions a good option for the four-time grand prix winner to consider. "What about talking to Toto [Wolff]?" Hamilton asked Sainz between questions during a press conference at last season's Bahrain Grand Prix. The pair spoke quietly, as to remain undetected by the microphones they were holding, but that did not prevent Netflix from picking up the brief exchange. "I haven’t talked to Toto yet," the 30-year-old replied. "Which makes me feel like if he really had an interest, he would have already called me." Whilst Sainz, who has since joined Williams, did eventually have conversations with Mercedes, his want of a multi-year deal proved an obstacle too great to overcome. Toto Wolff ultimately preferred highly-touted academy product Kimi Antonelli, as the team principal was unwilling to risk losing the young Italian to a rival by not offering him a seat for at least 2026. As such the Austrian did not want to tie in any other potential Hamilton replacement longer than needed. However, when speaking to Hamilton in Bahrain, the then-Ferrari driver was keen to understand how the 105-time grand prix winner saw the situation developing at Mercedes. After winning eight consecutive constructors' titles, the team has struggled comparatively during the contemporary ground effect era, which led to Sainz enquiring as to whether Hamilton felt its championship window had closed. "You don't think Merc[edes] will win again?" the Spaniard asked. "Do you think they are declining?" Hamilton responded: "No, I don’t think so." However, it is unclear to which question the Briton was replying to. Let the debate begin!
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