The last two years have been testing for team Mercedes and their star driver, Lewis Hamilton. However, the Briton hasn’t lost hope and shows in his conduct. The last year was even more difficult than the one before that, so much so that it left the team doubting itself. But champion drivers have a quality that drives them to contribute more than what’s asked of them. Hamilton did just that to bring the Silver Arrows together, despite their brutal snub.

One of the biggest duties of the senior driver, apart from delivering results on the track, is to give feedback on the development of the car. Because Lewis is clearly the one in that role at Mercedes, his opinion on the car should have more value. However, the 7x champion, soon after the season opener in Bahrain, launched a scathing attack on his own team for ignoring his feedback while developing the W14. Despite that, he has remained loyal to the team, helping them recuperate.

Speaking about bringing them together in a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia, he said, “I don’t think there are any mistakes. I feel they’re only lessons. And I think last year, coming off of a difficult ending of a season, everyone kind of still feeling the previous end-of-year. Motivation, keeping everyone’s spirits high, is how you show up. It’s your energy. It’s your moves when you do arrive and how you greet people and how you show the people like, ‘okay damn he’s here with us today, he’s on it’.”

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He also talked about having bad days himself, like everyone else, and the need to be able to show your vulnerabilities. To make that more acceptable at Mercedes, Hamilton started by setting his own example.

Lewis Hamilton tells why compassion towards self is very important

One big quality found in prominent leaders is their commitment to bringing a change in themselves before demanding it from their team. At Mercedes, Hamilton has taken up that role with aplomb. He admitted to having several shortcomings in himself. But before he demands something from his team, he makes sure he’s incorporated that quality in himself.

Speaking further in the interview about motivating people around him, Lewis told, “I always had compassion for others out there and things I’ve seen happen for people out there in the world but not having any compassion for myself. As soon as I was able to do that, then I think particularly through that difficult season last year, I was able to do that for those around me I think, and be like, ‘come on guys, this is where we’re going, get off your a**es, we’re gonna get there’. That, for me, is even better than the driving part. That’s being a real teammate.”

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With a man like him at the helm, Mercedes will certainly not stay behind for too long. But this year, the challenge is bigger than ever. Red Bull is stronger than ever. The need to overcome their own blues is bigger than ever.