Lewis Hamilton termed a driver in 'decline' by Spanish media as questions raised over the British driver replacing Carlos Sainz at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton has come under serious criticism from the Spanish media as his candidature as a replacement for Carlos Sainz has come under the scanner. The Spaniard's contract comes to an end in 2024, and beyond this, he could be replaced by the British driver.

Early in the year, Lewis Hamilton triggered an exit clause in his Mercedes contract for a move to Ferrari. The driver would join the Italian team on a multi-year contract. At the same time, this move left Carlos Sainz without a home for 2025 as the doors to Maranello closed for him.

Carlos Sainz has been a man on a mission this year and secured a podium in the first race in Bahrain. Disaster struck in Jeddah when he had to sit out because of an appendix surgery.

However, on his return, Sainz shocked the grid as he won the race in Melbourne. Through all of this, Lewis Hamilton has been struggling at Mercedes with the car under him.

After Carlos Sainz's win, the Spanish media was out in full force for their driver and there was pointed criticism towards Lewis Hamilton. Amongst other Spanish publications, Marca claimed that if what Sainz did was done by a British driver, a documentary would have been made about him.

Terming Lewis Hamilton a driver in decline, the piece read:

“Sainz’s feat would deserve a complete documentary if he were British like Lewis Hamilton, with a victory days after undergoing surgery for appendicitis and with three incisions still in his abdomen, which must have bothered him on the torture rack for the body that is F1."

"In the offices of Maranello, or rather Turin, they made a decision to do without their currently best driver, already in 2023 ahead of Charles Leclerc, to place a driver in clear decline not so much in talent as in morale and of attitude, as the seven-time champion has been demonstrating in recent times."

Lewis Hamilton over Carlos Sainz is not based on sporting values

The article went on to claim that Sainz was dropped from Ferrari in favor of Hamilton for marketing reasons and the decision had no sporting value attached to it.

It went on to state that the momentum that Lewis has right now despite being outperformed by George Russell at Mercedes only means that the same would happen against Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.

The article continued:

“It is not based on sporting values, but on marketing. May God preserve their sight. Hamilton’s abandonment (engine) when he was clearly behind Russell again indicates that he is no longer the undisputed first driver at Mercedes and it is very likely that he will not be able to beat the Monegasque in 2025 either.”

It is interesting to note that only in 2023 did Lewis end the season third in the championship standings behind only the Red Bull drivers Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen.