F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Clarifies Mercedes Exit Reasons - 'I'm Not Leaving Because I'm Unhappy'

Lewis Hamilton, the 7-time Formula One world champion, has clarified that his impending departure from Mercedes is not due to any unhappiness or relational discord within the team. Instead, he's simply chasing his next win.

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed his decision to leave Mercedes at the end of the season. However, the British race car driver has been quick to dispel any rumors about his reasons for leaving, stating it's not borne out of dissatisfaction with the team.

"For me, this whole journey has been massively emotional," Hamilton revealed, expressing his obvious emotional tie to the Brackley squad. "Just because I have so much love for this team."

Hamilton's time at Mercedes has indeed been storied, yielding six of his seven World Championships. Nonetheless, the shadow of the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has loomed large, with the team struggling to retain its competitive edge against rivals, particularly Red Bull. Presently, Hamilton finds himself 9th in the championship standings, a distant 111 points behind leader Max Verstappen and 10 points behind his teammate who sits P7.

Despite these challenges, Hamilton reassured that his exit was a decision rooted in seeking a new environment rather than any negativity at Mercedes.

"I'm not leaving because I'm unhappy there. I'm not leaving because of relationship issues," he stated unequivocally. "They've been with me through thick and thin. So, it's definitely a strange transition at the moment.

"We exist to win. And when you're not winning, your perspective has to shift. And it's then about chasing and it's about improvement. It's about coming together," he explained.

Hamilton's inherent competitiveness and leadership have spurred him to rally his teammates. "How can we make improvements? How can we get back to where we want to be? And rallying everyone up. I actually really enjoy that experience.

"But, three years in? I've had enough of this! Let's get back to where we belong."

As his tenure at Mercedes draws to a close, Hamilton looks ahead to his journey with Ferrari, where he hopes to don the colors of F1's most historically successful team into his 40s alongside Monegasque Charles Leclerc.