Lewis Hamilton cannot help it. Formula One is in danger of becoming boring because the rest of the competition can’t keep up.
The Mercedes driver seems to get better year on year while the rest of the paddock stagnates. This Sunday at the Austrian Grand Prix, Hamilton will chase his 80th race win – which would leave him only 11 behind Michael Schumacher’s record.
And a sixth world title, even before the halfway point of the season, already seems inevitable which would move Hamilton to within one of the German’s best mark.
“One day he’s going to stop his career, with multiple records, and people will say he was the greatest driver on the planet and we were witnesses of that journey,” Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff said at the French Grand Prix – of course won by Hamilton – last week.
Wolff added Hamilton’s interests off track, such as fashion and music, made him all the more remarkable.
He said the 34-year-old driver did not get the praise he deserved, but “for whatever reason there is this idea of hitting out” against him as “maybe it sells more newspapers, or gives more clicks.”
Hamilton has been in focus since his entry into F1 around 12 years ago. He was the first black driver in the elite level of the sport with a backstory made for cinema – his father took a second job in order to support him as a junior.
After narrowly missing the world title in his debut season, the triumph was secured – on the last lap of the last race – in his second year.
There were ups and downs, including a public relationship and separation from pop star Nicole Scherzinger. Hamilton drove away his pain at weekends but further success remained elusive until the move from McLaren to Mercedes.
Wolf soon recognised Hamilton could thrive without the tightly controlled environment of his former British garage and gave his star much more leeway.
“We have an unbelievable boss,” Hamilton said of Wolff. “We have much to thank Toto for, the way he runs the team, the way he deals with us drivers and allows us to race.”
Hamilton has delivered 58 race wins for Mercedes since his move as successor to Schumacher in 2013. There were 21 victories for McLaren in the previous six years.
With Mercedes Hamilton’s biggest blow was losing the 2016 world title to team-mate Nico Rosberg but he worked on his weaknesses and returned even stronger.
“He functions best when you give him the freedom to follow his passion,” Wolff said, echoing previous comments. He makes such remarks frequently as Hamilton’s lifestyle often brings questions for the team.
Hamilton uses his private jet between races, is a designer, on friendly terms with Hollywood stars and greats from other sports.
While his Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel lives privately with his wife and children on a Swiss farm, Hamilton is not averse to the limelight.
“Many years ago we decided – in order to extract all the potential that is in the individuals in this team, not only the drivers – to try to understand how all the individuals focus best,” said Wolff, who added Hamilton always requested time off in “the most respectful way.”
Hamilton seems to have learned from Wolff that recognising the individual is important with recent social media advice to his fans.
“It’s ok to feel insecure, we all do at times, it’s ok to not have all the answers,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I just want you to tell yourself, I am beautiful just the way I am, I am powerful beyond measure and I can do anything I put my mind to.”