Lewis Hamilton is undeniably one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time. He’s won seven World Championships and over 100 Grand Prix. While he’s one of the most talented drivers ever, that type of success doesn’t come without hard work.
A former Mercedes insider revealed what Hamilton does behind the scenes that makes him so great. He pushes the limits of the car in practice, so when it’s time for qualifying and the race, he’s a step ahead of the rest.
James Vowles reveals what makes Lewis Hamilton so great
Former Mercedes Engineer and current Williams Team Principal, James Vowles, has spent a lot of time with Lewis Hamilton. For 12 years, the two worked closely at Mercedes, winning multiple drivers and constructors’ championships.
Vowles spoke to High Performance recently and revealed what makes Hamilton so great. He said he has loads of natural talent, but also maximises practice sessions by messing with every setting on the car.
“Lewis just had these oodles of natural talent,” Vowels told High Performance. “With him, he’s got these tendencies and traits that, when you go out in FP1, he’s like an octopus. He’ll change every setting on the wheel and explore it.
“There was a time on the simulation in Brazil where it said hold seventh gear up the hill. Nico [Rosberg] was doing exactly what we asked him to do. But within two laps, Lewis was like ‘this doesn’t feel right’ and went back down to sixth, and he was finding a tenth there. It took until the end of the session before Nico [Rosberg] saw the data and saw that.”
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If you want to be one of the greats, you have to work harder than everyone else. Hamilton went the extra mile every single day to get a leg up on the competition, and I think it’s safe to say it worked.
A look back at Hamilton’s accolades
When it comes to who the greatest F1 driver of all time is, a lot of people will give you different answers. Some will say Hamilton, some will say Michael Schumacher, some will say Ayrton Senna. There’s no definitive answer, but it’s hard to deny Hamilton isn’t one of the greats.
During his 18.5 seasons in Formula 1, Hamilton has the most wins (105), poles (104), podiums (202) and is tied for the most World Championships (7). He is the most decorated driver in F1 history, and he’s still got at least a couple more years in him.
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While the last few years haven’t gone as planned, Hamilton hopes to win his eighth World Championship with Ferrari in the near future. The new regulations are right around the corner, and if they nail it, Hamilton could just break that record before he hangs it up.
