Key Mercedes figures show Hamilton’s title hopes hinge on one key factor.

Mercedes technical director James Allison has said there is “no doubt” about Lewis Hamilton’s motivation to return to the top of the Formula 1 podium, but that it depends on the Brackley team. To help him get there.

Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, has not won since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and has had an inconsistent run for two consecutive seasons. Mercedes’ last two cars won the same race when George Russell won the 2022 Brazilian GP, and team principal Toto Wolff has announced that their cars will undergo dramatic changes for 2024.

Allison returned to Mercedes as technical director in April 2023, replacing Mike Elliott, who had originally replaced him. The Brit recently signed a new contract and should take the W15 Mercedes one step closer to the dominant Red Bull team in 2024.

Now Allison said the pressure is on for the Brackley team to provide Hamilton with a car that could win again after the seven-time champion signed a new contract to keep him with the team until at least the end of 2025. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a less motivated driver anywhere on the grid,” Allison told Autosport.

“I think it comes with the territory. Usually, the more successful a driver is, the more inevitable his obsessive desire to win becomes.

“For Lewis, it’s just a core part of who he is, so there’s no doubting his motivation to get back to his winning ways. But whether he can or not depends more on the equipment we provide than on his hands. “He’s always had that ability.”