Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton can’t wait for the 2023 F1 season - “I'm ready to go"

Lewis Hamilton is gearing up to enter his 11th F1 season with Mercedes. Hamilton was present at the livery launch event on Wednesday, where he said that he felt "ready to go" for the 2023 season.

Speaking at the launch event, the British driver said:

"We always miss driving so the break initially feels too short. And then when you get towards the end of it, you're like, okay, I'm ready to go"

Lewis Hamilton endured a tough 2022 season. Hamilton was beaten by his teammate George Russell in the driver’s championship standing. Russell also got the team’s only win and pole last season. Hamilton ended his worst F1 season by finishing P6 in the driver's standings.

Mercedes spent most of 2022 resolving their issues rather than developing the car. However, the team managed to win the season's penultimate race in Brazil.

The winter break has allowed Lewis Hamilton and his team to reset. He expects the 2023 season to bring new hope and opportunities.

The Mercedes driver expressed his excitement at the launch event, saying:

"This is the most exciting part of the year," Hamilton said at the launch. "Seeing [this past week] from the tub to all these elements coming together out of different parts of the factory and everything fits so beautifully."

"We're all anxious to get out there and see how it behaves. And also where everyone else is."

Lewis Hamilton is expected to mount a title challenge this season. The 38-year-old driver will be fighting for a record eighth F1 title this year if the W14 is competitive. His teammate George Russell could also be a threat, with the 25-year-old saying he is ready to fight for the championship.

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Mercedes' black livery was Lewis Hamilton’s suggestion

Mercedes unveiled their 2023 challenger, the W14, on Wednesday. The German team returned to their black livery with a slight hint of Petronas green. The team sported black livery in 2020 and 2021, supporting the anti-racism campaign. It was Lewis Hamilton who approached the team back in 2020 and suggested to change the livery to black.

The return to black livery has made a lot of fans happy. Mercedes fans hope to bring back the dominance the team enjoyed when it ran the black livery.

Team principal Toto Wolff said at the launch event:

“You will see that the car has some raw carbon bits, and some that are painted matte black.”

“When we changed the livery in 2020 the main driving factor was to support the diversity and equality causes which are always close to our heart.

“The color black became part of our DNA at that point, so we are pleased to return to it.”

With the W14, Mercedes have also made an effort to reduce weight as their previous challenger was overweight. The car has exposed carbon fiber composites in matte black paint.

Mercedes will begin their shakedown test immediately after the launch. The pre-season testing in Bahrain, from February 23 to 25, will reveal if the team will be the front-runners this season.