Speculation over Hamilton's future has increased after Mercedes poor start to the 2023 season; the 38-year-old's current contract with the team expires at end of this season; Jenson Button: "In 2024, I think we see Lewis on the grid. He's still hungry to win another world championship"
Wednesday 3 May 2023 08:28, UK
Former F1 world champion Jenson Button believes seven-time winner Lewis Hamilton will be back racing in 2024 amid speculation the 38-year-old could retire from the sport at the end of the season.
Hamilton's seven world championships is tied for the record with Michael Schumacher, but his hopes of overhauling that tally with a record eighth title have been dashed in the past couple of seasons as Red Bull and Max Verstappen has dominated.
The 38-year-old finished sixth in the drivers' championship last year, and is fourth - with one podium finish - after the first four races of 2023, increasing the speculation over his future, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.
But Button believes the hunger is still there inside of Hamilton. "I don't think Lewis is going to walk away from the sport," he told Sky Sports.
"As a racing driver, if you've been winning for so long and then you're suddenly not, you want to fight back to winning - so you're not going to retire.
"Or, to come at it another way, if you're in a bad car for many years, you want to retire - because it just gets you down. But Lewis is not in a bad car, he's just in a car that is not as good as what he is used to.
"He knows the strength of the team, he knows how quick he is still and they're going to work together to get back to fighting with Red Bull. And I think they will.
"It probably won't be this year. But in 2024, I think we see Lewis on the grid. He's still hungry to win another world championship."
As for the race for the 2023 world championship, Button says Sergio Perez's impressive start to the season - with wins in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan - has caught him by surprise, but offered his support for 'Checo'.
Perez is currently second, six points behind his Red Bull team-mate and two-time defending champion Verstappen, heading into the Miami Grand Prix this weekend.
"I've been really impressed with Sergio," Button said.
"He did a really good job at the weekend [in Azerbaijan]. Back-to-back wins, if you like, with the sprint race and the main event. That will give him a lot of confidence."
Button added: "We haven't seen him throughout a season be as competitive as Max.
"Max has to be the toughest team-mate, because he just goes out there and gets it done.
"He is on it every weekend. Lewis is on it every weekend, although maybe not so with the car this year. That's the way they go racing and it's why they're so difficult to beat over a season.
"Consistency is where Sergio has been lacking. But if he can do it in Miami - kind of a street race as well - I think he has a chance to fight for the championship. And I didn't think I would be saying that - I really didn't.
"It's good for the sport. Red Bull has an advantage at the moment and we need both of them to be fighting it out.
"It adds to the title fight, so 'come on Checo!'"
On the latest Sky Sports F1 Podcast, Anthony Davidson said Perez needs to ditch the 'Mr Nice Guy' persona if he is to topple Verstappen and win the world championship in 2023.
The former Minardi, Super Aguri and BAR driver Davidson believes Perez is well placed to claim a maiden title but urged him to take inspiration from Nico Rosberg, who successfully fought his then-Mercedes team-mate Hamilton all the way to the 2016 title.
"You've got to be more Rosberg 2016," Davidson said. "I was always told by team bosses from my F1 time I was too nice and I think that's what stopped me being a better sportscar driver - I was more of a team player, always was.
"I think it's time for Sergio to stop being Mr Nice Guy. He's got to get under Max Verstappen's skin, he's got to annoy him - this is his moment.
"It might only be his one chance... he's six points behind after four races and he's looking good. I don't think he'll be able to do it if he plays Mr Nice Guy this year."
