Hamilton shows qualities: 'I have to take days out for that'

James Vowles has been part of the Mercedes team for many years. At the German stable, he still looks at the level of Formula 1 drivers with amazement. In an interview with Auto, Motor und Sport, the team's chief strategist discusses the qualities of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, for whom he has a lot of respect.

The racing stable failed this calendar year to design a car that would allow it to compete directly with Ferrari and Red Bull Racing. Despite this, Vowles noticed that the two Brits remained capable of pushing their performance to the limit.

According to Vowles, this can be called extraordinary, as both men had little confidence in the car. "Our car was difficult to drive," Vowles says. "Yet they got the last milliseconds out of a car they didn't really trust completely."

Vowles also occasionally meets Hamilton outside Formula 1. For instance, he can well remember driving around Austin with the seven-time world champion in an AMG GT R. "He needed one, maybe two laps to know the limit. I have to take days out for that."