Karun Chandhok can imagine that Lewis Hamilton was less motivated to pull out all the stops in 2022. The former F1 driver compares the Briton's season to Ayrton Senna's in 1993.
After eight years of dominating Formula 1, Mercedes came out cold in 2022. At the start of the season, the car was not competitive and porpoising was a major problem. Lewis Hamilton once again saw his eighth world title go by the wayside and may therefore have been less motivated.
Hamilton's lack of motivation
''Lewis, at the start of the year, I'm sure his motivation wasn't there and I can understand that. It reminded me of Senna in 1993, this was a guy who was the number one driver of his generation, he arrives at the opening race and goes 'God, I'm only capable of qualifying on the third row of the grid'',' Chandhok said in Sky Sports' Season Review.
George Russell started his first year with Mercedes and immediately looked good compared to the seven-time world champion. After the summer break, however, Lewis stepped up a gear. ''I think he had a bit of a wake-up call in that middle part of the year when Lewis lifted his game, and I think George went on a run where he couldn't get ahead. I think he thought 'woah, I've woken the beast!'.''
Still, Chandhok concludes by complimenting Russell, as the young Briton was able to win the Brazilian Grand Prix despite those setbacks at the end of the season, marking Mercedes' only victory in 2022. Russell also finished in the championship with more points than his teammate.
Lewis was never that great.
Timo Glock, Lewis' best friend, handed him an undeserved
championship in 2008. Almost every chamipionship was achieved at Mercedes where he enjoyed a 50 h.p. advantage. Imagine competing in a dominant car for 7 seasons where your only competition is your teammate. Lewis always has been one of the most over-rated drivers in F1 history.
Lewis deserves nothing for his lackluster 2022 performance that came without a single win or pole position. Lewis did not raise his game whatsoever. He got beaten by a 1st year teammate, just a continuation of 2021 for Lewis.
Oh thank God we get another "Lewis is amazing!" posts. What will happen next year when George beats Lewis again and Lewis even possibly ends up in 7th or 8th place?? Will this nonsense about how incredible he is end or will be forced into more silly posts like this that try and make us believe what we are seeing with our own eyes is not true. Lewis is a fantastic driver, but he is not the best. Each race he drives in without the fastest car on the grid proves this and yet the excuses for his performance in 2021 and 2022 never end. The litany of excuses is amazing and never ending. Isn't it enough to just say something like in his "DAY" he was able to make the best of the fastest car on the grid but now he is past his prime and will be a great support driver for MB.
Hamilton wasnt any less motivated earlier in the season. He was just unable to get used to a car that wasnt such a pleasure to drive and had the performance advantage over the rest of the cars on the grid, like he has been used to for the past 8 seasons.
Russell, on the other hand, was coming in from driving the Williams for the past 3 years, which was a real dog of a car, so even a 'bad Mercedes' was a great improvement for him and he was able to get the most out of a poorly performing car.
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