Former F1 driver expects little from Mercedes: 'Hamilton should've retired'

Lewis Hamilton is not having an easy season so far. The Mercedes team is suffering from a lot of problems, and the gap towards Ferrari and Red Bull Racing is therefore large. Former Formula One driver Eddie Irvine thinks Hamilton should have ended his Formula One career at the end of last year.

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport Irvine talks about the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi. Max Verstappen managed to overtake his rival Hamilton on the last lap of the race for the win. It was a big blow for the Briton, who remained silent on social media for an extended period after the finale.

According to Irvine, Hamilton should have left the sport after the loss in Abu Dhabi. The former F1 driver does not expect Mercedes to get much done this year given the large gap. In Saudi Arabia, the weekend went dramatically for Hamilton after he qualified only on P16.

"It's a shame he didn't win it, because he deserved it, but he should have retired. I don't think he will be able to do much this year. He's tough, but even for him it's frustrating to qualify so far back, especially when you're used to having the best car", Irvine says.

Irvine himself does not mind the team doing worse, as he is not fond of Mercedes as a brand. However, he is a fan of Hamilton and team boss Toto Wolff because of their "great" characters.