HAMILTON THE HISTORY MAN
F1 icon is perfectly poised to land a fifth world crown and place in history, insists Lauda
Style icon Lewis is tipped to race into the record books Formula One Special
PERFECT,’ was Niki Lauda’s simple verdict on Lewis Hamilton’s state of mind as Britain’s most successful driver prepares for his next shot at history.
When Hamilton walks into the paddock at Melbourne ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix next Sunday, he will do so having lived if not a hermit-like existence over the winter, then one in which he has kept his goings-on unusually private.
His customarily busy social media output chronicling all aspects of his celebrity life have dried up since he posted a controversial video of his little nephew wearing a dress with his accompanying comment that ‘boys don’t wear dresses’.
The cries of ‘sexism’ were absurdly vitriolic and he felt so chastened that he deleted all his tweets to date and has largely confined himself to posting sponsor or work-related updates.
But Lauda, the Mercedes team chairman, spent time observing Hamilton during eight days of testing in Barcelona and believes his star man is ‘totally focused, relaxed, in top condition’ as he tries to emulate Juan Manuel Fangio’s mark of immortality as a five-time champion.
The in-team harmony will be underlined by the anticipated news that Hamilton will sign the most lucrative-ever contract in British sport: £40million a year to stay at Mercedes until at least 2020.
The following season, the regulations will be overhauled and Hamilton is prudent enough to leave his options open to the possibility of a dream swansong at Ferrari.
Various elements need to fall into place for that to happen. But with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel a free agent from the end of 2020, the two top men on the grid could conceivably take each other’s seat.
‘Lewis is the best driver of the modern generation,’ said Toto Wolff, Hamilton’s team principal. ‘So of course, I’d like to keep him with us for as long as possible. But he has at least one more contract in him after this next one and Ferrari remain an attraction for every driver.
‘He is happy. Our relationship has gone from strength to strength. But
of course, during a season things can become tenser.’
Hamilton, as is his wont, faded slightly after wrapping up the title last October, failing to win any of the last three races.
But he has thrown himself into a refreshing fitness programme to arrive at the gates of the 2018 campaign ready to switch straight back on. He took the longest break of his career, from December to February. But he kept fit snowboarding and surfing and practising martial arts. It was light relief after virtually a lifetime of grinding gym monotony.
And despite the culinary uncertainties created by flying from his bases in Colorado and Monaco, as well as taking in trips to LA, Japan and Hawaii, he has largely kept true to the vegan diet he started last year. The big question is whether any rival team can mount and sustain a challenge to Mercedes.
Ferrari were more than a second quicker in testing, though the disparity was due to Mercedes not using the new hypersoft tyres which will be primarily for qualifying. Red Bull appeared to step up, too.
A three-team, six-car contest must be No 1 on any neutral’s wish-list for 2018. Even Hamilton realises that, not least given how Formula One’s new American owner Liberty Media has turned out to be less than the radical improver some naively believed it would be.
‘More teams fighting for the championship can only be good,’ said Hamilton. ‘Red Bull could be a real challenge this year. The car looks great.’
But he is not fazed by Ferrari’s speed, saying: ‘I don’t know if that’s a good time. I don’t know if it was a qualifying run. I don’t really care.
‘What matters is where we are in qualifying in Melbourne when everyone’s on lower fuel.’
The tastiest clash imaginable is combat between Hamilton and Red Bull’s tenacious 20-year-old Max Verstappen.
Which of those two would give an inch? Possibly Hamilton, whose experience now disinclines him to risk a collision brought about by machismo.
Hamilton respects the young bruiser, seeing something of his young and raw self in him.
‘Max should be better generally this year,’ said Hamilton, 33. ‘He’s got his dad [former Formula One racer Jos] around him hopefully keeping his feet on the ground.
‘As the car improves and his experience grows, he’ll improve.’
But despite all the pre-season unknowns and the Vettel-Verstappen possibilities, it is hard to imagine Hamilton will not be driving one of the fastest cars, if not the fastest.
If so, it will take a hero to prevent him finishing the year on that plinth with Fangio the great.