Recently, Mercedes F1 Technical Director, James Allison spoke on a variety of subjects. For example, he opened up on his relationship with team principal Toto Wolff. He also talked about working alongside newly-crowned six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. He admitted that although the Briton is one of the oldest drivers, he still drives like his younger competitors.
The 35-year old will still struggle to find a moment on track where he will do something ‘ugly’. Allison said, “You’ll see him do many many breath-taking things, many brave things. But you won’t see just crude dodging car, bumper car stuff. I hope he manages to keep this going for the remainder of his driving career. It’s an utterly unblemished record. I think, amongst multiple world champions, it is unprecedented to have all that success without any sort of hint or shadow of poor sportsmanship”
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What motivates Lewis Hamilton to win?
When he spoke on the Mercedes YouTube channel, Allison acknowledged that drivers tend to slow down with age. In Lewis Hamilton’s case, he certainly has the drive and motivation to race. He said that whenever competitive people meet others who are just as competitive, they often begin to doubt themselves. However, the 52-year old confessed that it is hugely difficult to compare different eras of racing drivers.
According to him, the ability to judge current drivers’ performance is far higher than in previous years. However, in Lewis Hamilton’s case, he still possesses that little bit extra to go faster and qualify better. The technical director also declared that Hamilton has ‘extraordinary physical talents’ along with exceptional mental dedication.
Unfortunately, Lewis Hamilton is in a race against time. He is close to equalling or beating Michael Schumacher’s record for the most Formula One world championships. However, he is 35-years old and not getting any younger. The COVID-19 pandemic is also prolonging his quest for that elusive 7th F1 world championship.
There is also the fact that the new F1 regulations are taking effect soon, and the pecking order may get shaken up. So, who knows if Hamilton can break the record before he decides to retire.
