Lewis Hamilton forgets Mercedes’ F1 team name in new Drive to Survive

Lewis Hamilton on difficult season for Mercedes in November

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Most drivers in their prime would struggle to keep up with the lifestyle of Lewis Hamilton, juggling ever-changing sponsorships and ad campaigns alongside being the face of Formula 1. So the Mercedes star can be forgiven a slip or two when it comes to remembering the minute details amid such a fast-paced career.

But fans may be surprised something as straightforward as his team’s official name still evades Hamilton on occasion, as revealed in the latest season of ‘Drive to Survive’. The Netflix blockbuster returned to screens with its fifth instalment on Friday, supplying its usual slate of must-watch moments from behind the scenes of the 2022 F1 season.

Hamilton is now an elder statesman on the grid and showed all of his 38 years when trying to remember Mercedes’ official team title in one clip from the show. The Briton is going through a simple introduction before hilariously stopping himself as his mind goes blank.

“I’m Lewis Hamilton and I race for Mercedes Benz. . .Oh s*** what’s it called?” asked the seven-time world champion before being reminded of the full ‘Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team’ name. “Oh yeah. Good thing I know that by now.”

One would think such details would become like second nature after winning six championships in 10 seasons at Brackley. Perhaps the oversight is a sign that Mercedes have become unrecognisable even to their drivers after a nightmarish campaign last year.

Hamilton finished a career-worst sixth in 2022 and failed to win a single race for the first time in his 16 seasons competing in F1. Team-mate George Russell encouraged in his maiden year with Mercedes and placed fourth overall, with the Silver Arrows settling for third in the contructors’ championship.

It’s not the first time Hamilton’s memory has failed him when it comes to team-related matters. The veteran received stick in 2021 after answering ‘McLaren’—his old team—when asked to name an F1 outfit beginning with ‘M’ in a ‘Grill the Grid’ game.

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He also forgot he was no longer a part of the line-up in Woking when he accidentally pulled into his former employer’s pit during the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix. Hamilton was still in his debut year with Mercedes when he momentarily stopped in front of his old crew, only to be waved on as the penny dropped.

It may not be considered the strongest sign of Hamilton’s priorities considering his current contract is poised to expire at the end of 2023. Both he and team principal Toto Wolff have hinted an extension is in the offing, though there’s yet to be any official confirmation the driver will be at Brackley next year.

At the very least, bosses will hope their star is fully aware of whom he’s representing on the grid when the new season starts at Bahrain on March 5. Hamilton will look to stop Max Verstappen’s run of back-to-back world titles and clinch a record-breaking crown of his own, while Mercedes seek to restore some reputation at the top end of the table.

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