The British driver reaffirmed his desire to fight to play the leading roles in F1, during the presentation of the new Mercedes for the 2022 season on Friday.
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“I never said I was gonna quit, I love what I do“, said Briton Lewis Hamilton on Friday February 18 during the online presentation of the new Mercedes. The Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver, dethroned by Max Verstappen after a last F1 Grand Prix in 2021, presented himself with his new teammate George Russell and showed his confidence for the 2022 season.
Those Merc Boys. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/I6FnRoonRm
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) February 17, 2022
“It was obviously a difficult time for me, and it was a time when I really needed to take a step back“explained the 37-year-old driver, who remained silent during the winter after losing the opportunity to win a record 8th world title, in the very last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 12. “I got to a point where I decided I wanted to attack again this other season, working with Toto and George“, he added.
“I’ve never seen him so determined“, confirmed team boss Toto Wolff. “Lewis is the best driver in the world, and he is joined by one of the brightest and most promising of this generation, George“.
The two British Mercedes drivers will be driving a new W13, which marks the return of a gray livery, giving meaning to the nickname of Mercedes single-seaters: the “Silver Arrows”.
“It’s a great privilege to work with this great group of people, it feels like part of a family and there’s nothing like it“Hamilton added.
The return of the Silver Arrows. Meet the Mercedes-AMG F1 W13 E Performance. pic.twitter.com/NsuEBvbkbK
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) February 18, 2022
Mercedes is the 8th team out of 10 to unveil its car, while the first pre-season tests will take place in Barcelona next week (February 23-25). Bahrain will then host other tests (March 10-12) and then the first Grand Prix on March 20.