“They can get depressed about it” Damon Hill reveals the reason behind decline in Lewis Hamilton’s pace

1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill is now a widely respected pundit and expert analyst with Skysports.

“They can get depressed about it” Damon Hill reveals the reason behind decline in Lewis Hamilton’s pace

Damon Hill and Lewis Hamilton

Former F1 world champion with Williams Racing Damon Hill has provided a unique insight into Mercedes’s Sir. Lewis Hamilton’s recent form and lack of success. The SkySports F1 pundit believes that the 7-time world champion is struggling to fight for wins and dominate like he once did due to being in the concluding years of his career.

He stated during the F1 Nation Podcast, “As you get older, maybe you’ve had crashes, your brain says: ‘I need to be more circumspect’. It’s possible that the instinctive, unconscious speed has started to leave him,”. His fellow countryman clearly believes that Hamilton is unable to cope with the competition not only due to the car being substandard but due to his growing age. He added, “They may give up a bit in qualifying. In their late-30s, they can no longer do those transcendental laps. They focus on the laps.”

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Hill went on to assert that Lewis was past his prime and that his teammate George Russell was going to push him to his limits and make life tougher for him. He invoked a parallel reference, stating, “Niki Lauda had Alain Prost arrive. When the older, experienced driver is faced by the speed of a young arrival, they can get depressed about it or devote their energy to making sure the outcome in the race is the thing that matters”.

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Related: Toto Wolff blatantly disregards speculation of James Allison’s return to fix the Mercedes car Lewis Hamilton hates

Lewis Hamilton is chasing his first win since Jeddah 2021

Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton(credits: The Sun)

Ever since the premiere of the 2022 season, coupled with being in a below-par car, Lewis Hamilton seems to be a shadow of his former self. Despite finishing on the podium in several instances, he hasn’t been able to take the next step. He has frequently been seen struggling to fight with the likes of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

His qualifying sessions haven’t met expectations either, averaging a grid spot of 6.50 in 2022. He also averaged a finish position of 5.38, which isn’t the standard the veteran sets for himself. Hamilton clearly aspires to greater heights, even in the latter stages of his career. He finished a paltry 6th in the World Driver’s Championship, behind all other drivers of the big 3 teams.

Hamilton has frequently complained about the driveability of the car. However, he has been consistently outperformed by his teammate George Russell. It seems like the young challenger is asserting his desire to be the #1 driver in the team with his shows of prowess, along with securing his maiden win.

Whether his age affected his raw speed or not, Lewis Hamilton always desired to win and was an ardent competitor. He displays exemplary sportsmanship and is an example to the entire world. Lewis may be past his prime, but that doesn’t prevent him from seizing the opportunity should it present himself. Hamilton seemed in touch with his former self at the recent Australian GP, and a win shouldn’t be too far away, given his persistence.

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