“Hamilton’s instinctive, unconscious speed has possibly left him”
Hamilton was out-performed by George Russell last season, and didn’t win a single race in 2022 for the first time in his F1 career.
Now 38, he has been out-qualified at the first three grands prix of 2023 by the ambitious Russell.
Ex-F1 champion Hill told the F1 Nation podcast about the dynamic between two rival teammates: “We’re competitive and political. You have to be aware of rising forces or empires.
“George has to work very hard to make himself a valued asset of the team, which he’s doing.
“He has to do the hard work. Lewis doesn’t have to.
“They know what they’ve got with Lewis - they know, given half a chance, he’ll be back on top form and can deliver extraordinary races.
“They know George can do that too, but he’s yet to prove it.
“Lewis is very good at sussing this out - he’ll be thinking: ‘I’ll let you do the hard work, George, because it’s exhausting’.
“As president of the GPDA he’s got a big workload, George.
“Lewis’ strategy is to remove distractions and leave time for downtime.
“Even with Valtteri Bottas, Lewis took a relaxed approach to the start of seasons. He lets things unfold and, eventually when he sees an opportunity, he steps on the gas and disappears into the distance.”
Hill insists that Hamilton and Russell’s relationship brings back memories from the past: “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.
“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.
“I remember, for example, I tested a motorbike at 20 years old. I flew round the track.
“As you get older, maybe you’ve had crashes, your brain says: ‘I need to be more circumspect’.
“George is super quick and is revelling in the early part of his career.
“I don’t know if Lewis has acknowledged that he can’t match that. I’m sure he will do, eventually.
“It’s possible that the instinctive, unconscious speed has started to leave him.”
But Hill insists that Hamilton, who is out of contract at the end of this season but still harbours hopes of winning an all-time record eighth F1 championship, can still fight at the front.
“These guys don’t lose what they know how to do,” Hill said. “The days are rarer, harder to conjure up.
“The young guys flare up quickly but can be erratic. Occasionally George does something rash.
“He’s had those impatient moments. But he’s much more reliable, less prone to crashes or mistakes than many of them.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
