“He was a mercenary when he joined us”: Mercedes explain change in Hamilton attitude

Ever since he made the switch from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013, Lewis Hamilton has been a winning machine. He has won six of the last seven drivers championships since the start of the turbo-hybrid era in 2014.

Mercedes’ James Vowles and Andrew Shovlin disclose the kind of change that Hamilton had to go through after joining the team.

The Brit has managed to raise Mercedes to a level which has enabled it to dominate single-handedly, something that has never been seen before. Over the years, Hamilton has grown into a better version of himself by making minute changes to how he handles his car.

On the Beyond The Grid podcast Chief Strategist Vowles revealed that Hamilton only looked out for himself when he first joined the team in 2013.

“I’m speaking on my behalf, I can’t speak on behalf of others. But he’s a very different character from the character that joined us. When he joined us, he was a mercenary, he was here for himself to win races.

“That desire to win hasn’t disappeared but what he’s realised is you do it with the team and as part of the team and you become the greatest sportsman that exists, as a result of it. One individual cannot rely on himself.”

Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin disclosed that Hamilton’s desire to win was initially detrimental to his car.

“Early on, he had this relentless desire to win every race, manifest itself in his driving, and he would just push and push and did not stop. I think now he’s becoming a much more calculating driver.

“From the first lap of the first race, he’s thinking about Championships and about looking after the car and the tires a lot more.

“He hasn’t gotten any better at losing races because that’s just in his nature. Certainly, his approach to the weekend and his thinking in the car. And everything is becoming really calculated, clean, and clinical.

“To the point where if someone asks you about Lewis making mistakes, you’re thinking back and going back seasons kind of, to try and recall any examples.

“His target is perfection and that’s a difficult target to pick. That’s what he’s trying to achieve.”

Today, Hamilton has established himself as a well known brand that gives him financial as well as vocal support for the causes that he supports. He also invests in fashion, restaurants, and has even launched a team in the Extreme E motorsport series.

He might as well retire once he has achieved his goal of winning that eighth championship in 2021. But considering he does not win, will he stay? Let us know in the comments below!

Read More: “You can see it straight away”: The one skill that Hamilton uses to excel, especially during the winter

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  1. patrick smyth April 9, 2021

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