“This one is not going to win him a drivers' championship” - Toto Wolff says Mercedes ‘owes’ Lewis Hamilton a title-winning car

Race winner Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates winning a 7th F1 World Drivers Championship with Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Turkey at Intercity Istanbul Park on November 15, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Kenan Asyali - Pool/Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton's hopes of winning his eighth world championship might be in the light, but not for this season, unfortunately. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has accepted that the W14 is not capable of winning a title.

ESPN quoted Wolff mentioning that the team 'owes' Hamilton a car that is fast enough and good enough to win a world championship. It seems that it will take the team perhaps this season to develop the car they require.

"We owe [Lewis] a car. Now, that's difficult when you see the pace of the Red Bull, but we owe him a car. This one is not going to win him a drivers' championship this year, so we need to give it another shot."

The 2022 season was a dip for Lewis Hamilton as the team was expecting to remain in the title fight and perhaps bag another one. However, the new regulations did not fit perfectly with the W13. The team could bring in just one victory, that too by George Russell.

The season which was hoped to see a fightback for Mercedes, after the loss in 2021, turned out to be Hamilton's first Formula 1 season without a single victory. However, the team did make improvements in the car by the end of 2022, and it was thought that the 2023 challenger will turn out to be a championship-winning car. That hasn't happened.

Lewis Hamilton reveals Abu Dhabi "strengthened" him and Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton was on the verge of winning his eighth world championship at the end of the 2021 season during the Abu Dhabi GP. After leading the race for most of the time, a last-minute safety car and some controversial decisions by the stewards saw Max Verstappen taking the lead. The Dutchman ended up winning the championship on the final lap.

This was a hard time for the team. However, Hamilton revealed that he is now at peace with it and learned a lot from it.

"But I am at peace with it now. It strengthened all of us at the team, but from my own personal experience, it was a hugely strengthening experience."

Lewis Hamilton currently stands fourth in the championship with 48 points in his bag. Although the pace of the Mercedes has been somewhat competitive, there is still a lot that needs to be worked upon to challenge the Red Bulls and achieve victory in this season itself.