Lewis Hamilton “the most motivated and focused I’ve ever been” ahead of Mercedes F1 swansong

Lewis Hamilton says he is “the most motivated and focused” he’s ever been heading into his final F1 season with Mercedes.

Hamilton, who has won six of his seven world championships with Mercedes since joining the team in 2013, is leaving the German manufacturer at the end of the year in order to make a blockbuster switch to Ferrari.

The 39-year-old only signed a fresh two-year deal with Mercedes last summer but chose to activate a break clause so he could complete what he has described as being a “dream” move to Ferrari.

Mercedes have won just one grand prix since F1’s current aerodynamic rules were introduced in 2022, while Hamilton has endured a two-season winless drought.

Before joining Ferrari, Hamilton is determined to end his illustrious Mercedes stint on a high.

“I feel the most motivated and focused I’ve ever been,” Hamilton said at the launch of Mercedes’ W15 car at Silverstone.

"Every year you come back and you are like ‘I’m fitter than ever’ and all these different things.

“But I generally feel I put more work and more time and more focus into preparation this year. I never thought at this point in my life I’d have hunger like I do right now.

“To finish on a high with the team would be a dream. We’ve gone through a whole heap together, so to finish on a high, it would be the greatest honour to help them get back to the top.”

Mercedes hope their silver and black 2024 challenger, described as a “complete relaunch” by team principal Toto Wolff, will help them close the gap to Red Bull, who have dominated the last two years.

"The target is to do a good job, look inwards, try to have the car on track that is predictable and has lots of downforce and do a solid job and deliver on our targets, to give a car to Lewis and George that they enjoy driving and not as difficult as the previous years,” Wolff added.

“And hopefully in Bahrain in a week's time, we will have more good feedback than bad."