Mercedes are at a “crossroads” and two bad years 🐓h🧔ave “left their mark” on staff, claims Mika Hakkinen.

News that Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari in 2025 means that Mercedes en𝓰ter this F1 season under🍬 a cloud.

W﷽ith just one grand prix win in two years (via George 💎Russell in 2022), Toto Wolff’s team’s preparation for the upcoming season is in a state of flux.

“Mercedes are at a crossro꧋ads,” Hakkinen told , speaking before Hamil𒅌ton’s shock exit announcement.

“The𒀰re has not been a question mark over the🅠 team for a long time.

“After a decade full ofಞ success, the past two seasons have left their mark on those responsible and employees.

“And that's good! You have to be angry now.

“Now you have to develop this unconditional will 🥀to win again.

“The team has to become a t෴eam again, develop this blind under෴standing. That is currently missing.”

Hamilton and😼 George Russell will again be paired this season as Mercedes relaunch their bid for competitiveness with the new W15.

But it ꧑will b🌱e their last year together with Hamilton set for Ferrari in 2025.

“Even though George is entering his third season as a Mercedes driver, it is clear that it is Lewis' tಞea♛m,” Hakkinen said.

“He has be⭕en driving there since ꧑2013 and has worked with many of the engineers and mechanics for years.

“It doesn't take ten minutes of analysis from𓄧 him to explain the problem.

“Litt♐le things like these ultimately decide in Formula 1 whether you are in pole position or not.”

Mercedes’ big hope fo🧸r their future now centres around Russell, who did out-score Hamilton in his first year with the team.

“That's correct. But last season Hamilton finished third and Russell only eighth,” Hakkin🧔en insisted.

“That didn't surprise me.

“On the one hand, Lewis wanted to show it to everyone after the Twilight of the Gods had already been talked about, and on the other han꧙d, George was and continues to be under immense pressure.

“When you're the teammate of a seven-time w𒊎orld champion, all eyes are automaticall♛y on you.

“It doesn't matter if you finished on the po🍰dium if your teammate won.

“It's the same with all teams - but George is racing against a recor🧸d champion.”

How the dynamic may change this ♑year, ahead of Hamilton’s exit from the team that he is famous ꧑for representing, remains to be seen.

Hakkinen won his two F1 championships in 1998 and 1999 driving f🦋or McLaren.

He believes his former team can get closest to the dom𝕴inant Red Bulls this year.

“I expect a lot from McLaren,” he said.

“After having a disastrous start to the season last year, they have dev𒊎eloped very well and, above all, consistently.

“With 𓆏Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, they probably have the strongest d🍷river pairing next to Ferrari.

“Both have the potential to become world🥂 champions.

“Piastri puts pressure on Norris. And Max Verstappen will also♛ feel that this year.”