Former F1 driver and current Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle has reacted to Lewis Hamilton's comments surrounding his decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari.
The seven-time world champion is entering his final season with the Silver Arrows, having signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari to replace Carlos Sainz from 2025.
He will therefore end an association with Mercedes that dates back over 25 years, all the way to when the German car manufacturer held a stake in Hamilton's former team McLaren when he was a junior driver.
Advert
Hamilton has publicly commented on his move twice thus far, in a social media post and at Mercedes' 2024 car launch last week.
In his social media statement, the 39-year-old said the move was 'filled with a whole range of emotions', and his decision 'has been the hardest I've ever had to make'.
Hamilton added, though, that he was 'fulfilling a childhood dream' by signing for Ferrari, where he will partner Charles Leclerc.
Advert
Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast on Friday, Brundle made a straight-to-the-point assessment of Hamilton's comments - and believes the decision was not as difficult as his fellow Brit claims.
He said: "I don't buy all of this, 'It's going to be emotional leaving'.
"Lewis is a winning machine and that's what he wants to do. It's a good contract, he'll be paid a lot of money, get a lot of love, and it will be one of global sport's biggest stories in 2025."
On Hamilton's contract situation, which saw him decide not to activate a previously announced year's extension in his Mercedes deal which would have taken him into 2025, Brundle added: "The teams are slightly disingenuous when they tell you about new contract signings, because they only tell you edited highlights that suit them.
Advert
"Clearly, they forgot to mention that Hamilton had an exit clause, which he has chosen to take very early indeed.
"I see everybody's got an opportunity here. George Russell has got the shiny confidence, the talent, confidence and speed, to pick up the mantle and be the number one driver. I have no doubt about that at all.
"I think it will energise Mercedes, losing Lewis, and it will be an opportunity for them to act in haste, repent at leisure. They can wait and see [on Hamilton's replacement]. Why do they need to jump now?
"It will energise Ferrari, Charles Leclerc as well, and certainly us watching it. I don't really see any downside there."
Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1, Ferrari, Mercedes
Ryan Smart