Lewis Hamilton proclamation could mean bad news for Max Verstappen and Red Bull

Lewis Hamilton says he has complete faith in engineers at Mercedes to produce a good car in 2022, and fully expects to once again challenge for the championship in the upcoming season, despite the massive regulation overhaul.

After Red Bull revealed the RB18 for the first time on day 1 of pre-season testing at Barcelona, the team’s bold design caught the eye of many, with some suggesting that legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey might have come up with a radical design that rivals might have missed.

When asked if Mercedes might have made a mistake in sticking with their tried-and-tested approach during the media session, Lewis Hamilton defended his team, saying:

“My team don’t make mistakes. Of course that’s a risk [with the new regulations] but I trust the team. Whether it’s good or bad. we will work through it.

“Every year is exciting but this one is completely brand new. I’ve seen designs of our car obviously, but this is the first time you get to see the other teams out there on track. You want to keep a close eye and see why others have taken a different route. You have no idea where you stand, so it’s definitely exciting.

“I hope these rules deliver in terms of closer racing. It puts everyone on a closer playing field.”

Mercedes have dominated F1 since the start of the turbo-hybrid era, winning eight consecutive constructors titles and seven drivers’ titles, despite several regulatory changes over the last few years. However, the 2022 regulations are some of the biggest in the sport’s entire history and have the potential to shake up the grid order.

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Lewis Hamilton hoping for more impactful actions from F1, following the removal of pre-race kneeling ceremony

Lewis Hamilton says he is hoping F1 will take more impactful action to improve diversity and representation within the sport, following its planned move away from the pre-race kneeling ceremony starting in 2022.

Speaking to the media ahead of the second day of Barcelona testing, the seven-time world champion, said:

“I guess just really rather than just talking about these things and making these gestures, actually [it’s about] really pushing.

“I don't know whether we need that one moment. We should be able to do it at any stage really. But I did feel that the overall slogan last year with all the different things compiled into one, I think we can do more and be more impactful somehow.”

Lewis Hamilton played an integral part in the introduction of the ceremony following racial tension in the US in 2020. In addition to the ceremony, he also led a push forcing F1 and teams to reconsider their processes to improve access to people from weaker sections of society.

Furthermore, the Briton also setup several charters to support young children who are interested in motorsport to pursue a career in STEM, improving their chances of achieving their dreams.