Hamilton went over two years without a race win following that controversial race, as Red Bull emerged as the dominant force in the sport. He did come back to claim two wins in 2024, but Mercedes clearly had the fourth-fastest car on the grid, something the seven-time champ appeared to see coming as he announced an early exit to Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton may have a joint-record seven Formula 1 titles to his name, but he suggested winning the championship with Ferrari would be the most important yet.