Lewis Hamilton won’t be swayed by haters as he looks forward to Ferrari switch

Lewis Hamilton said “people continue to talk s***” about him amid his worst start to a Formula One season.

The 39-year-old has scored just 10 points from the opening four rounds following his Mercedes team’s misfiring campaign.

Hamilton has failed to finish in the top six so far, and crossed the line a distant ninth at the last round in Japan a fortnight ago.

4️⃣4️⃣&6️⃣3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/H77h6RgTqh

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 18, 2024

Hamilton, who is moving to Ferrari next year, was asked if Mercedes’ early-season troubles vindicated his decision to quit the team, which carried him to six of his record-equalling seven world championships.

“I don’t feel like I need my decision vindicating,” he said. “I know what is right for me, and that hasn’t changed from the moment I made the decision.

“There’s not been a moment that I’ve questioned it, and I’m not swayed by other people’s comments.

“Even today, there’s people continuing to talk s***, and that will continue on for the rest of the year.

“I’ll have to just do what I did the previous time (when he moved to Mercedes from McLaren). Only I can know what’s right for me, and this (joining Ferrari) will be an exciting time for me.”

Hamilton, who was speaking ahead of this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix – the first staged here since 2019 – was asked what he meant by “people taking s***”.

“Just read what’s out there,” he replied.

Hamilton will be 40 when he makes his debut for Ferrari in Australia next March.

Fernando Alonso announced last week that he will remain in the sport beyond his 45th birthday after agreeing a contract extension with Aston Martin. The Spaniard, 43 in July, will become the oldest driver of the modern era.

And Hamilton added: “I’m