Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton gave a brutal response to a journalist after a disappointing Japanese Grand Prix when he was asked a question about his Ferrari move in 2025. The seven-time world champion was definitely not in high spirits after the race, where he started P7 but finished P9 due to damage to his W15.
Nearly two months have passed since Hamilton sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 community with his announcement of joining Ferrari in 2025. Despite this impending move, he still has 20 Grand Prix races left with Mercedes, which currently grapples with challenges related to the performance of its W15 F1 car.
Nov 17, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Saturday’s qualifying session at Suzuka sparked optimism for the 39-year-old driver, suggesting that Mercedes had closed the performance gap it sought. Yet, the Grand Prix unveiled a different narrative as the car grappled with challenges on high-speed corners, casting a shadow over the team’s aspirations.
After Hamilton was overtaken by Lando Norris, Sergio Perez, and Carlos Sainz in quick succession following the post-race restart, Mercedes attempted to execute a one-stop strategy. However, Hamilton requested a strategy change. Despite transitioning to a two-stop strategy, Hamilton remained unconvinced that altering the strategy could have rescued him and Mercedes from a challenging day.
Understandably, Hamilton was not in the mood to entertain inquiries about Ferrari when his attention was firmly fixed on his responsibilities with Mercedes. An untimely question from a journalist provoked the British driver to respond with a query of his own, before abruptly exiting the scene, showcasing his frustration.
Japanese GP – Mercedes
Mercedes Press Image
The reporter in question asked him if he was “looking forward to being with them [Ferrari]? Because they’re faster?” Hamilton immediately asked him back: “Do you have any better questions?”
Since the start of the current season, Ferrari has shown remarkable performance, with their SF-24 F1 car ranking as the second fastest on the grid, just behind Red Bull’s RB20. Though the Ferrari move could be more tempting to Hamilton than it was during the winter break, he has made it clear that he won’t be entertaining questions about the Maranello outfit until next year.
