25 June 2024 , 12:16
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Lewis Hamilton has insisted he has no regrets over his decision to quit Mercedes and join Ferrari after finishing third at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Hamilton finished behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen and McLaren star Lando Norris, while his Mercedes teammate George Russell finished fourth. Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz ended up fifth and sixth respectively.
It is the second race in a row where Mercedes have bested Ferrari, but when asked if he has any regrets over his decision to move to Ferrari next season, Hamilton said: "No, not at all. I love Mercedes.
"I have been with Mercedes since I was 13 and I will always be a fan and a supporter of them. My job right now is to work as hard as I can with the crew that I have to try and move and develop the car in the right direction.
"Whatever course and trajectory the team is on for next year, there are things I hopefully will have been a part of and I am proud of that. My job next year will be to start with the other team, and they are doing a great job.
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"They have had a difficult couple of races but let's not forget they had a race win in Monaco (last month). I don't know what is wrong with their car and why they are in the position they are in. But it doesn't make me second-guess my decision at all."
Hamilton's third-placed finish in Spain saw him earn a podium spot for the first time this season, with the Brit delighted that Mercedes have enjoyed competitive runs in the last two Grands Prix.
Hamilton finished third at the Spanish Grand Prix (Icon Sport via Getty Images)"It is a big boost to finally get a good result," he said. "It has been a minute since I was up here! The team has done an amazing job, working so hard with extra long hours to bring components to the car and we are slowly getting closer.
"Last year we were fast here, so you have to take this result with a pinch of salt, but in the past two races we have also been competitive. We still have a couple of tenths to find. We have to have all hands on deck and keep pushing."
The Austrian Grand Prix is next on the F1 calendar, with drivers set to battle it out at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg later this month. Verstappen has won the race a record four times and will be hoping to pick up a fifth.