- Strikes near south, east Lebanon cities after Israel evacuation calls
- Van Nistelrooy 'motivated' to help managerless Man Utd
- Mud and misery grip epicentre of Spain floods
- Georgia says ruling party won disputed election, opposition calls protests
- Harris slams 'offensive' Trump as rivals go west
- US election, tech jitters rattle global stocks
- Harris slams 'offensive' Trump as rivals hit western battlegrounds
- Tsitsipas keeps ATP Finals hopes alive with gritty Paris win
- Turkey opposition protests at mayor's arrest for 'PKK ties'
- EU greenhouse gas emissions saw 'huge' drop in 2023
- Musk a no-show at $1 mn giveaway US court hearing
- Beauden Barrett starts at fly-half for New Zealand against England
- Musk's millions: Five ways the world's richest man helps Trump
- Spain flood death toll soars to 158
- Harris, Trump head west in US election race countdown
- Amorim promises 'clarification' on Man Utd manager's job on Friday
- Macron to speak inside Notre Dame for cathedral reopening: archbishop
- Man Utd target Amorim says no decision before Friday
- US Fed's favored inflation gauge cools in September
- Global stocks slide on US election, tech worries
- All Blacks coach Robertson defends haka after jibe from England's Marler
- French PM Barnier 'doing well' after operation
- Two children among three dead in Ukraine airstrike
- Spain urges flood-stricken residents to stay home during rescue
- Nepal's day of the dog as part of Hindu celebrations
- Not enough time in universe for monkeys to pen Shakespeare: study
- South Africa sweep Bangladesh series with crushing innings victory
- All Blacks recall big guns for England clash
- Musk to appear in court as part of Trump campaign suit
- Spain urges hard-hit regions to stay home during flood rescue
- Sales slump 27% at carmaker Stellantis
- Global stocks decline after weak Wall Street lead
- French PhD student held in Tunisia: supervisor
- Yao Ming quits after seven years as head of Chinese basketball
- US envoys in Israel to seek Lebanon truce plan
- EU probes shopping app Temu over illegal products
- Spain mourns after historic floods kill 95
- New doubt over production cuts in plastic pollution treaty
- Top MotoGP riders want Valencia race moved after deadly floods
- Yao Ming quits as head of China's basketball association
- Eurozone inflation rebounds more than expected in October
- Man Utd set to announce Amorim as new manager
- Kong-rey among biggest typhoons to hit Taiwan in decades
- Hong Kong economic growth misses forecast in third quarter: data
- Bangladesh 43-4 and facing innings defeat after S. Africa onslaught
- Snow forecast next week on Mt Fuji, at last
- Faker: eSports legend and South Korea 'national treasure'
- Bangladesh forced to follow on after five-star Rabada strikes
- Sho-time! Japan fans ecstatic as Ohtani becomes World Series champ
- 90 Rohingya left 'stranded' on Indonesia beach
CMSC | -0.24% | 24.53 | $ | |
BCC | 0.44% | 134.96 | $ | |
BCE | 0.06% | 32.26 | $ | |
BTI | 1.15% | 34.76 | $ | |
SCS | 0.29% | 12.265 | $ | |
NGG | -1.89% | 63.86 | $ | |
AZN | -1.48% | 71.765 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.2% | 24.78 | $ | |
RBGPF | -0.13% | 60.92 | $ | |
RIO | -1.46% | 64.95 | $ | |
GSK | -1.15% | 36.59 | $ | |
JRI | 0.5% | 13.115 | $ | |
RYCEF | -5.69% | 6.86 | $ | |
BP | 0.29% | 29.105 | $ | |
VOD | -1.29% | 9.27 | $ | |
RELX | -1.42% | 46.255 | $ |
Hamilton ready for 'emotional' farewell season with Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton on Wednesday admitted he expects to ride an emotional rollercoaster this year, his last with Mercedes where he won six of his seven world titles.
The 39-year-old, who will race for Ferrari in 2025, said he had not lost any faith in the team he raced for since 2013 and was confident Mercedes had a bright future.
"It's the same as any other year. It is emotional and every week will be emotional," he said ahead of Saturday's season-opener in Bahrain.
"I truly believe that this team (Mercedes) is going to win another championship. It's an incredible group of people and it's really well run.
"Mercedes has such an incredible history and from the board down they are really heavily invested in racing and so many areas.
"And regardless of whether or not this is a championship-winning car, it doesn't have any bearing on how I feel about it and the next stage of my career."
Hamilton initially held discussions with Ferrari in 2019 and has now agreed to join the iconic Italian team on a "multi-year contract", replacing Carlos Sainz.
"It's all about a new chapter in my life and I really feel like I've done everything I could possibly do with this team and I'm on the back end of my career.
"I love a challenge and this is the ultimate challenge really -- to go to a team that is incredibly iconic, has an amazing history, but also has not had as much success as I guess as they would have hoped in the past decade or so.
"They're already looking very strong this weekend which is positive for them so my goal is to beat them this year -- and I'll see that switches next year."
- 'Full attack' -
Hamilton added that nothing would change this year at Mercedes who have given him great understanding and support.
"Nothing really changes," he said. "I was back at the factory on Monday... it's full attack.
"Everyone's 'all hands on deck' and the team... I've been with them such a long time.
"There's so much love within the team. And I still, and always will, love this team.
"Everyone was incredibly understanding within the team, hugely supportive. Everyone knows that I'm here to deliver for them this year, so that's the focus.
"The seat fit is your last seat fit with the team and you've been doing it... you remember it, the first one.
"The winter test is the last winter test that I'll do with the team. And so on.
"There's going to be a lot of emotional experiences through the year, but we'll do it together."
Max Verstappen, who dominated last season with Red Bull, remains the overwhelming favourite to secure a fourth world title but Hamilton said his 2024 Mercedes car was significantly better than at the same stage in the last two seasons.
"We still have some problems that we're having to work through and it's not perfect," he admitted.
"But it's definitely a better starting place from the past two years so we are relatively happy in that respect.
"We're not where we want to be and may not compete with these other guys at the front but we will work towards it."
G.Stevens--AMWN