Palmer: "Hamilton’s ‘win at all costs’ mentality shows how hungry he is"
Lewis Hamilton's sixth World Championship edged him closer to Michael Schumacher's record and Jolyon Palmer believes his "win at all costs" mentality sets him apart from the rest.
Hamilton put behind his weakest qualifying of the season behind him to rise from P5 to finish P2 at the US Grand Prix which was enough to seal a sixth World Championship. He beat his Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas despite the Finn winning the race at the Circuit of the Americas.
Hamilton's fifth World Championship in six seasons has moved him a step closer to matching Michael Schumacher's record of seven. Palmer believes his compatriot's mentality has put him on a different level.
"Starting from fifth and fighting for second to many drivers might seem like a pretty good race day, but Hamilton’s ‘win at all costs’ mentality shows how hungry he is, especially as a win in Austin was irrelevant in the grand scheme of his title," Palmer said in his F1 column.
"He asked his team how he can win, and what the gap was to Valtteri Bottas, and also defied the team’s call to pit, opting to stay out for another lap in his bid to take the fight to his teammate."