Lewis Hamilton has taken a cheeky jab at Mercedes in a recent Instagram post following a seventh place finish in Monaco.
The world champion has announced he is leaving Mercedes for Ferrari next season, after a difficult few years with the German team.
Hamilton has achieved most of his world drivers’ titles with Mercedes, coming close to an eighth in 2021.
However, since the 2022 regulation changes the Brit has failed to win a race, unable to make gains during the current rule-set.
Lewis Hamilton enjoyed a dominant era at Mercedes
Mercedes’ recent performances are in stark contrast with their championship winning era
Why has Hamilton left Mercedes?
Mercedes’ form has worsened this season, with Ferrari and McLaren making strides forward to compete with Red Bull, whilst Hamilton and George Russell linger in ‘no-man’s land.
Ferrari have achieved two race wins in 2024, with Carlos Sainz in Australia and Charles Leclerc in Monaco, a tantalising prospect for the seven-time world champion when he arrives.
Hamilton has often bemoaned the pace of his Mercedes during race weekends, even claiming favouritism and has come into play since he announced his departure.
His team-mate Russell has beaten him 7-1 in qualifying this season, with Hamilton insinuating that his compatriot has received preferential treatment with upgrades in Monaco.
The champion also hit out at Mercedes after an appearance on Hot Ones, a YouTube series where celebrities are interviewed whilst they eat increasingly hot chicken wings.
When the host, Sean Evans, asked Hamilton when he was most in ‘conflict’ with his car, Hamilton provided a cheeky response.
“Right now,” he said.
Hamilton has often experimented with the set-up of his Mercedes during race weekends, in an attempt to extract some pace from the car.
However, these experiments have often had the opposite effect, placing him behind his team-mate and hindering his performance.