When Lewis Hamilton won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021, no one could have predicted the onslaught of losses heading his way. And now, 35 races later, Hamilton still drives the Mercedes car without a win. But the British driver is far from disheartened as he continues to enjoy his time behind the steering wheel. Hamilton still has the same passion and love for his sport, which helps him stay motivated and happy to be an important part of F1 sixteen years into his career.
While he may not be winning races today, the Lewis Hamilton of the decade bygone was a different beast. Racking up 103 GP wins, which took him to a record-equalling 7 world championships, is what made Hamilton who he is today. And it is no surprise that the 38-year-old wants to go back to his glory days and relive those memories. But the fact that he gets to race surrounded by others, rather than all alone at the front of the track, makes him happier than ever.
Before the 2022 season, though, things were vastly different for Hamilton and Mercedes. The 2014 season saw the start of a highly successful era for Mercedes in F1 with the mandate of turbo-hybrid engines. The Mercedes car took 16 wins out of 19 that year, with the Stevenage-born driver pocketing 11 wins. But they have since lost the edge over their competitors and compete in the midfield, occasionally finishing outside points. And Hamilton believes it is this spirited competition the F1 drivers live for.
Lewis Hamilton addresses Max Verstappen’s dominion whilst recalling his own
Per rtbf.be, Hamilton engaged in conversation with Gaetan Vigneron and addressed Max Verstappen’s domination in the latest era of F1.
“I don’t think everything is necessarily easier. It’s a place where you feel alone. In our sport, we find that there is always a gap. It’s not often that there is has a gap Max Verstappen does an exceptional job […] I remember when I was in that position, of course it’s exciting to win races, but ultimately you want to have more competition because that sometimes feels empty when you’re really far ahead, which is always the goal.”
While Hamilton does miss being on top, he feels good about his current position in the standings. It allows him to battle it out in a much more competitive space as opposed to running alone in front of the pack.
“When you’ve had races where you’ve come back from a little further back, or when you’re fighting to hold on to first or second place, that’s what we live for. I would say that I enjoy racing a lot more now than I did then, because I race in a peloton. But of course the goal is to get where he is. I think for our sport the goal is to be closer .”
Hamilton and Mercedes continue to work hard
While the start of the season was nothing to write home about, the middle races have shown Mercedes a glimmer of hope. The Australian GP saw the British driver achieve 2nd place, a feat which he has reciprocated just once since. Finishing on the final podium place a few more times, Mercedes has mostly been an average-performing team.
Having secured 4 podium places this season, Lewis Hamilton currently sits at 4th in the driver’s rankings with 148 points. Just one point ahead of him in third place is Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. While the Silver Arrows’ driver may not be able to clinch the driver’s championship this season, he can still make the top 3 or even the top 2.
Attaining the highest possible position this season will be an important goal for the 38-year-old, but it doesn’t stop him from other equally important things. The British driver enjoys spending his time with the team’s mechanics to help them build a car that is capable of winning even the toughest of races out there.
