Despite his best efforts, Hamilton raced with the Italian manufacturer. The seven-time champion’s performance at Mercedes was different from his current experience. Thus, James Vowles , current boss of Williams and former Mercedes driver, compared Hamilton to Michael Schumacher .
Michael Schumacher briefly raced for Mercedes between 2010 and 2012, but failed to achieve significant results. His results failed to help the Silver Arrows establish themselves in F1. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, joined Brackley in 2013 after winning a single title and quickly took off, winning six titles before the 2020 season. Team strategist James Vowles has seen both drivers race for the manufacturer.
James Vowles recalls that Michael Schumacher wasn’t the best Mercedes driver at the time. Lewis Hamilton was. Vowles recalls Hamilton adjusting every steering wheel setting he could think of. The 46-year-old joked that the Briton adjusted the steering wheel and used it “like an octopus.”
Michael [Schumacher] wasn’t the best driver; Lewis was. He changed every steering wheel setting within his reach, like an octopus.
James Vowles said on the High Performance podcast
James Vowles also recalled the time Lewis Hamilton was racing Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, and the two drivers were training on simulators for the Brazilian Grand Prix . Unlike Rosberg, Hamilton didn’t follow Vowles’ advice to stick to one gear on the climbs. However, the 40-year-old gained a tenth of a second after saying that sticking to one gear didn’t suit him.
During a simulation in Brazil, I advised him to stay in sixth gear on the climb. Nico (Rosberg, editor’s note) maintained this position. Lewis said after two laps that it wasn’t the right gear and that he had found an extra tenth of a second. Optimize everything based on the data.
James Vowles added
James Vowles calls Lewis Hamilton a ‘perfectionist’
Although the last few years have been difficult for Lewis Hamilton, he is undeniably one of the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history. The Briton delivered unparalleled performances back then and continues to do so today. He simply needs the right setup and mechanics to excel at Ferrari. James Vowles crowned the 40-year-old driver with an impressive title, despite his recent setbacks.
James Vowles was convinced that Lewis Hamilton possessed a sensitivity to the limit that no other driver could match. This caused him some difficulty early in the race. However, once he found his rhythm, he became unmatched. Vowles therefore insisted that the Briton was a “perfectionist” and an excellent brakeman, which only increased his potential.
Furthermore, he has an unparalleled awareness of limits and does not hesitate to push them. This is why he was often left far behind in the first corner after the finish line, but he now has the situation under control. A perfectionist, he was very strong under braking; he could exploit all possibilities under braking.
James Vowles observed
Lewis Hamilton has already achieved a lot in Formula 1 and doesn’t intend to stop there. The Briton is now focused on the 2025 season and the next one. The forty-year-old driver is therefore expected to make significant progress next year and win both titles with Ferrari.
