Lewis Hamilton faces an awkward viewing of Netflix‘s new Drive to Survive series after telling their cameras he had ‘so much belief’ in Mercedes to deliver him a championship-winning car and that he couldn’t ever imagine racing for another team… only to announce a plan to leave for Ferrari in this past off-season.

Hamilton will pull on the red overalls of the Scuderia from 2025 after enacting a break clause in the new two-year deal he signed with Mercedes during last season’s nightmare campaign.

But with series six of Drive to Survive being released today, it makes for interesting viewing when Hamilton discusses his ‘leap of faith’ to sign a new contract with the Silver Arrows.

‘OK we’ve had two difficult years but I still have so much belief that Mercedes and all these people in this team have the ability to build a great car,’ Hamilton said.

‘You’ve just got to take a leap of faith.’

Lewis Hamilton’s decision to re-sign with Mercedes was detailed in Netflix’s Drive to Survive

Despite a winless 2022, Hamilton took a leap of faith in 2023 to sign a new two-year deal as he felt he couldn’t see himself racing in Formula One if it wasn’t with Mercedes

He continued: ‘Toto [Wolff], he’s listened. There never feels a time where I’m not going to be a Mercedes driver. It’s my home, it’s my family.’

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton makes his first public appearance since his move to Ferrari was confirmed at the launch of his final Mercedes car
Viewers get to see a crucial meeting during negotiations between Wolff and Hamilton, where Mercedes’ team boss concedes that sticking to the car concept after a late surge of results in 2022 set the team back.

‘The biggest failure,’ retorted Hamilton.

Wolff does not promise that he will deliver a title-winning car again for Hamilton but does go on to say that Ferrari’s red overalls ‘wouldn’t suit’ Hamilton – which is ironic now his switch in 2025 has been confirmed.

Hamilton’s change of heart means that this season will mark the Brit’s final year with the team, who he joined from McLaren back in 2013.

Since then he has won six of his record seven world championships with Mercedes, but will leave to join rivals Ferrari next year after not winning a race since 2021.

Hamilton will hope to end his legendary run with the team on a high, as they hope to close the gap to Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

He will be joined at Mercedes for the third season running by British team-mate George Russell.

Speaking at Mercedes’ recent 2024 car launch, Hamilton said: ‘It’s obviously been emotional, it’s very surreal to be here. I came here in 2013, 11 years with the team, this is the start of my 12th.

One scene shows Hamilton speaking to Wolff in his office where they openly discuss the 2023 car not being good enough to give him an opportunity to chase an eighth world title

Despite the drawbacks, Hamilton committed to Mercedes – only to later opt to leave anyway

Hamilton’s bombshell 2025 move to Ferrari was confirmed earlier this month, and he will race alongside Charles Leclerc (right) for the sport’s most famous team from next year

‘The focus through the whole of winter training is getting the team back to where we once were. We have had these difficult couple of years which have been really grounding for us.’

‘It is such a privilege to work with people to see the work they’re doing over the winter.

‘This is the most exciting part of the year. To know everything underneath the hood, that George and I will be able to experience on the track. It’s exciting.’

Hamilton has not won the drivers’ championship since 2020, and has not won a race since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix a year later.

After the controversial ending to his 2021 title battle with Verstappen, the Brit has not won a single race since, with the Dutchman dominating the last two seasons to become a triple world champion.

Mercedes took the wrong approach with their car over the past two years, providing machinery that their drivers have often found difficult to drive, or just lacking in pure speed against Red Bull – who won all but one race in 2023.

Nonetheless, Hamilton’s definitive interview in Drive to Survive makes for interesting reading now it is known he has already had a change of heart.