Controlled aggression… Nothing sums up Lewis Hamilton better than his aggressive driving style. This is what sets him apart in the world of racing and his 55 overtakes in the season say it all. Who would have thought that a 10-year-old boy lining up to receive the autograph of Ron Dennis, McLaren chief executive and former F1 team principal, would be offered a Formula One contract 12 years later? From a simple radio controlled car to go-karting on the local circuit, this kid racer has just revved up to chase his dreams.

Despite being connected to the McLaren team since he was 13 years old, signing with the Young Driver Support Programme, Hamilton has decided to part ways and sign a three-year deal with Mercedes, taking over from the great Michael Schumacher. Yes, it seems that the 27-year-old has made an illogical move, a move that even pundits and analysts say is crazy.

Clearly it was a no-brainer for us spectators to have noticed that something was not right while standing on the podium after winning at Monza. For those of you keeping track, McLaren really hasn’t taken care of its star racer in the cases where it mattered most. Like in Bahrain, where he was delayed twice in the pits by a guy who couldn’t get the lug nuts back on. Or in Spain, where he was last on the grid after his fuel tank was not filled during qualifying. And who can forget that the crew dropped the jack before its front wheels were bolted on in Valencia?

It was even reported that McLaren offered him a third less than his previous contract to sign an extension deal to stay with them. It seems to me that Hamilton was just upset and had enough. But Mercedes isn’t exactly a better team either. In fact, the chances of winning another championship are much higher if he stays at McLaren, as he will almost certainly not be able to join any of the remaining three teams, Red Bull or Ferrari.

What’s done is done and, as a result, McLaren will become a slightly inferior team, while Mercedes will almost certainly have the fastest driver. If Lewis Hamilton wants to be immortalized, he has to make sure he gets the fastest car to become as aggressive as him. If Lewis knows something we don’t and Mercedes is planning a big surprise for us next season or he’s just looking for a place to start again, we’ll have to wait until March to find the answers.