Is Lewis Hamilton’s “Legacy” Mindset Against Red Bull Holding Him Back From Winning 8th World Title?

Every Formula 1 world champion always has a “they had a competitive car” bias hanging over their heads. This, to some extent, is true because a driver cannot be competitive enough and win a race, much less a championship without a car capable enough to justify and support their talents. However, this is exactly the kind of mentality Lewis Hamilton is trying to change by working toward building a car with Mercedes to add to his already legendary status.

The Brit has not won a single race in the past two seasons after winning one in every championship season he participated in till 2021. With his last race win coming in the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP, Hamilton was one win away from breaking the all-time championship wins record. However, the history books did not want the Brit to have it this easy, and he’s already putting in the work to build up to his next race win before he can start fighting for the championship. However, is this mindset holding him back from clinching the elusive eighth championship title? In this piece, we will explore Hamilton’s desire to create a “legacy” that might be hindering his progress in the circus based on opinion separate from any general perception.

Is Lewis Hamilton holding himself back from his desire to create a legacy with Mercedes?

The Brit’s contract extension was the topic of discussion for many months in the recently concluded season. Hamilton put pen to paper but after much delay and deliberation. Many believed it was for the money, but now we know it was mainly because Hamilton wanted a project that would see him fight for another championship.

However, a recent admission from Christian Horner also brought to light the talks between Red Bull and the Brit. Had Hamilton decided to join Red Bull, he would’ve automatically been in a championship-winning car surrounded by an excellent team.

It would’ve been a no-brainer to join a team that has been dominant in a record-breaking fashion in the past two seasons. Plus, he would’ve gotten an opportunity to fight Max Verstappen head-to-head in equal machinery. However, Hamilton’s noble ambition to stick with the team that has achieved so much with and been a part of, directly or indirectly, all his F1 career and bring them up to championship-winning standards is commendable. We believe the only way Hamilton can truly build an unbeatable legacy in the sport is not by jumping ship when times get hard but by fighting back to the standards he’s maintained for so long and winning again with the team he shares so much history with.

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If this scenario comes true, the Brit will become immortal in the world of F1, especially for Mercedes. In fact, this is his mentality as well.

Lewis Hamilton shares his honest desire to glory in F1 with Mercedes

The Brit already has a legendary legacy in the sport. However, the only way to top that is by persistence and perseverance with his team which has been struggling for the past two years. Speaking about his legacy, as quoted by MSN, Hamilton expressed his desire to win again with Mercedes.

He said, “Every driver here looks at the Red Bull car and would love to drive that car, and I am not saying that I wouldn’t love to drive that car and feel how good it is, every driver would feel that. We’ve had two difficult years, and if we work towards being that car, it is going to be a way better feeling than stepping into the best car.”

“Working with my team to build and be able to beat them, that would be better for my legacy,” he concluded.

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Now we know what’s brewing in the seven-time world champion’s head. The question remains if he will be able to realize this dream before it’s too late.

“The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports”.