Lewis Hamilton has said he would recommend Mercedes as an option to ex-Formula 1 rival Max Verstappen amid rumours the Dutchman is in talks with the German marque.
The four-time champion has been the subject of growing speculation as to where his future lies, speculation which intensified when current Mercedes driver George Russell claimed that he was in talks with the team about a switch from Red Bull.
The Brackley-based squad’s Team Principal Toto Wolff appeared to confirm Russell’s claims by refusing to deny them at last week’s Austrian Grand Prix, but Verstappen has remained tight-lipped on the issue.
When asked if he would advocate a move to Mercedes, Hamilton, speaking ahead of his home Grand Prix at Silverstone, replied that he would if Verstappen requested his advice, but also heaped praise on his current employers.
“Of course,” Hamilton told media including Motorsport Week. “I mean, he’s coming from a great team, and I think many, many years ago I was being asked something about… I can’t remember… I think I was just so die-hard like Mercedes at the time, and I remember saying something about Red Bull being only an energy drinks company, and I always regretted it because I was just saying that Mercedes at the time was just great.
“I was really just trying to gee up my team, but the truth is Red Bull had been an incredible team. There’s so many people there that are exceptional, and they’ve dominated for years.”
Hamilton fondly remembers ‘great’ Mercedes outfit
Despite his seemingly back-handed apology to Red Bull for his prior remarks and his glowing praise of the Milton Keynes-based squad, Hamilton reiterated his recommendation of Mercedes.
The 40-year-old spent 12 seasons with the German marque, winning six of his seven World Championships there, and came agonisingly close to an eighth in 2021, when he endured a ferocious and memorable title battle with Verstappen.
Hamilton cited the team’s staff and structure as a huge positive to Verstappen’s hypothetical
“But what I can say, if anyone was going to ask me about Mercedes, it is an amazing team also, with naturally the passion,” he said.
“They’ve got great personnel, it’s a great factory, a great environment to work in. So, of course [I would recommend]. I would be interested to see what happens.”
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