Lewis Hamilton leaves F1 pundit baffled as 'worried' Mercedes ace's behaviour pointed out
Lewis Hamilton's time at Mercedes will come to an end after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when he will switch allegiances to Ferrari.
F1 pundit Karun Chandhok believes Lewis Hamilton's qualifying performances should concern Ferrari. The 39-year-old is about to embark on his final race for Mercedes, bringing down the curtain on a 26-year association with the F1 giants.
His surprise move earlier in the year sent ripples throughout the motorsport community. But Hamilton will be fulfilling a boyhood aspiration by switching to the iconic Italian team.
The Brit has endured another rollercoast season at Mercedes, with victories in Belgium and Great Britain blighted by inconsistency elsewhere, notably during qualifying. Hamilton has frequently been bested by team-mate George Russell during the Saturday sessions, with Chandhok believing the former McLaren man is low on confidence.
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The pundit told the Sky Sports F1 podcast: "On a Sunday, the magic is still there. We saw it in places like Barcelona, which sort of went under the radar. The magic is still there on a Sunday, but his qualifying form is a real worry.
"He seems extraordinarily low in confidence when it comes to qualifying, which is bizarre to see but it is 'true'. Ferrari needs to be proactive, I think, in terms of rebuilding his confidence before the season in Melbourne."
Hamilton looks set to conclude his final season with Mercedes securing a seventh-place finish in the drivers' standings, trailing behind Russell, who sits one place and 24 points ahead.
Carlos Sainz Jr, whom Hamilton is poised to replace at Ferrari, will also finish above the British driver. Hamilton's switch to Ferrari was made public in February, just a month prior to the commencement of the 2024 campaign.
Some pundits have speculated that the timing of this announcement might have affected Hamilton's concentration and performance throughout the season. However, Chandhok contests this view, suggesting that concealing the news and pondering over the move would have been more challenging for Hamilton.
Chandhok said: "The timing of it, I think actually has been good. You didn't have the distraction of his future, weighing on his mind throughout the season.
"He's been able to start the season knowing where he is going next and has just got on with the job. Unfortunately, the qualifying phase has been a real worry.
"He was down 23 to six, to George, including the spring qualifying. That is massive, for a driver who has taken over 100 pole positions. Personally, I think it is going to be a problem in 2025, unless he can rediscover his qualifying form."
