Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver in Formula One history, yet debates continue over whether he’s the greatest of all time. Despite his iconic status and seven F1 championships, Hamilton faces significant challenges, especially with the Mercedes W15 car. His struggles are evident when compared to his teammate George Russell, who has outperformed him in qualifying and points this season.
Hamilton trails Russell 7-1 in Grand Prix qualifying and 54-42 in points this season. Hamilton attributes this to his ‘wild’ setup experiments with the W15 car, which he claims are efforts to help Mercedes find missing performance. Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin commented that Hamilton has ‘made himself a victim a few times’ through these experiments.
Former Jordan chief technical director Gary Anderson believes Hamilton’s experimentation hampers Mercedes’ long-term car development. Anderson explains that odd setup choices prevent the team from establishing a performance baseline, affecting their aerodynamic improvements. Hamilton’s attempts to frame himself as the sacrificial lamb come across as a way to excuse his current performance gap with Russell.
Back in 2016, Hamilton pulled a similar stunt. Following a defeat by teammate Nico Rosberg at the Japanese Grand Prix, Hamilton distracted the media with Snapchat filters instead of answering serious questions. Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle criticized his behavior as ‘childish and stupid’ and questioned whether Hamilton’s focus was misplaced. Rosberg eventually won the championship that year, one of the few to beat Hamilton over a season.
In Monaco, Hamilton suggested his slower qualifying times were due to Russell having the only upgraded front wing. He insinuated that Mercedes favors Russell, hinting at a conspiracy. However, Williams development driver Jamie Chadwick told Channel 4 that Hamilton is ‘spinning’ the narrative to suit himself, as Mercedes rarely splits upgrades between cars.
Hamilton also appeared to criticize Mercedes’ race strategy in Monaco. Starting on the hard tire, Hamilton was forced into a challenging situation after a first-lap red flag. He claimed he preferred starting on the medium tire, although the strategy mirrored the successful approach used by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. This strategy aimed to gain track position, crucial in Monaco’s tight circuit.
Jamie Chadwick pointed out that as Hamilton is set to leave Mercedes next year, the team might naturally focus more on Russell, who represents their future. Chadwick praised Russell’s performance, stating he’s ‘smashing’ Hamilton, which Hamilton might not be happy about. Mercedes explained they had offered to flip a coin for the upgraded component, but Hamilton declined, fearing potential penalties.
Earlier allegations from Hamilton include claims of racism when he was repeatedly called to the stewards back in his McLaren days, suggesting his actions were judged unfairly. This narrative resurfaced as another way to explain his on-track behavior. His recent comments seem to follow a pattern of diverting attention from his current struggles.
Lewis Hamilton remains a significant figure in Formula One, but his recent struggles and media maneuvers suggest a driver grappling with his legacy and current performance. While his claims of favoritism and challenging setups create headlines, the successes of his younger teammate George Russell are impossible to ignore.
