Hamilton of confidence!

RECORD QUEST DRIVES LEW

LEWIS HAMILTON is charging into this F1 season like a gladiator – and he has already forced his rivals into a corner.

That’s the view of pundit and former driver David Coulthard, who says he has not seen this level of focus from Hamilton since he was breaking into the sport.

He believes the reigning world champion is “reborn” and warned his rivals Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc to watch out.

Scot Coulthard said: “I’ve studied Lewis’ approach this year and there’s a real energy and focus on the job that lies ahead of him.

“I wouldn’t say he has meandered into any season but I don’t think he has carried this impetus in with him before.

“Just looking at his posts on social media, the interviews he has given – he’s hitting this with all the confidence of a gladiator and the other drivers are like lions in the corner, cowering.

“I have to say that with the pressure on him, I might be a tad nervous, but not him.

“He just seems different. Like chasing Michael Schumacher’s record has left him as a driver reborn. Honestly, I’ve not seen him like this since he was a wee whippersnapper.

“I think it’s the prize of chasing those records that is spurring him on. If you look at your global entrepreneurs, it reaches the stage where it’s not about the money anymore.

“Towards the end it wasn’t about the cash for Bernie Ecclestone.

“It was about the inner desire to push himself to see how far he could go and what he could build. And I think it’s the same for Lewis.

“He’s 35 now and by this stage you’ve worked out what you like in your life.

“Lewis is absolutely in his prime and, while Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen are very quick and aggressive, they just don’t have his experience.”

Of course, Coulthard admits the one unknown about Hamilton is the car Mercedes will be asking him to drive.

But the Channel 4 commentator believes once that settles down he expects him to have a few more landmarks in his sights.

Hamilton is seven wins short of

Schumacher’s tally of 91 and four shy of his 155 podium finishes. The Mercedes man will also pull himself alongside the German on seven championship wins if he triumphs this season.

Coulthard said: “He’s got three records in his sights and I’m not for one minute saying it’s nailed on – nothing is in sport – but it wouldn’t surprise me if he grabbed the lot.

“We will need to see how the first few races go to see how the cars are performing – a lot can change.

“But Ferrari and Red Bull are going to have to take it from Lewis and Mercedes. He’s not going to give this up without a real fight.

“Ferrari have learned a lesson from last season when they were very bullish about their prospects and then the reality didn’t perhaps match up to the hype.

“It will take a few races to settle down but I do believe that we could be about to witness something very special.”