Lewis compared to Fed Ex
Hill hails Hamilton’s longevity at the pinnacle of motorsport
LEWIS HAMILTON is a “phenomenon” who has ensured none of his immense talent has ever gone to waste. That is the verdict of former F1 driver Damon Hill, who believes the reigning champion is now up there in the pantheon of sporting greats alongside the likes of Roger Federer.
Hamilton outlined his status as the man to beat in F1 as dominant display after dominant display secured him a sixth World Drivers’ Championship title last year.
The Mercedes driver is now just seven race wins and a title shy of matching the respective hauls of the legendary Michael Schumacher.
At 35, Hamilton is the secondoldest driver on the grid, with just Alfa Romeo’s 40-yearold talisman Kimi Raikkonen his senior.
The Brit shows no sign of slowing down, however, having matched his own record number of 11 Grand Prix victories in a season on the way to a third title on the bounce in 2019.
Hill has now compared Hamilton to Federer, who remains one of tennis’ top dogs even at the age of 38 and as he approaches retirement.
The 1996 F1 champion has identified the secret to Hamilton’s longevity at the pinnacle of motorsport – never taking his natural ability for granted.
“He is starting to resemble in stature the likes of Roger Federer,” said Hill, in this month’s edition of the official Formula 1 magazine.
“Year-in, year-out he keeps coming back to the front. It takes an enormous amount of talent but it’s no good on its own.
“He has nurtured it, applied it, looked after it, not spent it unwisely. He is a phenomenon.”
Hamilton and Mercedes looked in good shape during preseason testing, with Valtteri Bottas putting in the fastest lap of the February meets at the Circuit de Catalunya.
They were set to go in search of a second consecutive one-two at the Australian Grand Prix only for the coronavirus pandemic to see it cancelled.
The Melbourne race followed April’s Chinese Grand Prix in being axed from the schedule entirely and the trip to Monaco has since experienced the same fate.
The Bahrain, Vietnam, Dutch and Spanish Grands Prix have also been postponed.
Some of the postponed races may be rearranged later in the year, with the annual shutdown being brought forward to March and April to free up three weekends in August.