F1 Insider: Lewis Hamilton Is "Like A Spoilt Little Boy" When He Doesn't Win

Joan Villadelprat compares Lewis Hamilton to Fernando Alonso in a recent interview.

Joan Villadelprat, former team manager of Benetton, has recently criticised seven-time F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, calling him a "spoiled little boy." Villadelprat, who has had a long career in the sport has expressed his doubts about Hamilton's current form and motivation in a recent interview with Spanish publication El Confidencial. In the same breath, he admits that he thinks Fernando Alonso is "winning Formula 1 by far".

Is Hamilton Struggling to Match George Russell?

Villadelprat has been surprised by how well George Russell has been doing at Mercedes. The young British driver showed serious performance last year against his partner, and fans have been surprised with how well he's faired this year, too. Yes, it was revealed that Hamilton was experimenting with different setups during the start of 2022, potentially sacrificing his performance to help the team in the long-term, but Russell was surprisingly reliable each and every race. 

Unfortunately, Mercedes hasn't been overly successful despite this, and Villadelprat doesn't believe this has reflected well on Hamilton. 

“Hamilton is fed up and, if he doesn’t win, he’s like a spoiled little boy: you either win or you break the toys,” he told the publication.

“He’s a whiner, you know. The tyres, the strategy, he questions everything, and he has screwed up. When you have a [teammate] who is faster than you, it is normal to be quiet and put your head under your wing.

“I think he hasn’t lost but, after seven titles… What motivates you? Well, win another. And you’re not going to risk your skin if you don’t have that car. What is evident is that Hamilton is not the same as his first or second championship.”

Is Fernando Alonso a Better Example?

Villadelprat pointed to Fernando Alonso as an example of a driver who has not lost his enthusiasm despite being so far into his career.

“One has won seven, and the other two, and Fernando knows that he could have won more, that he has the potential to be ahead of Hamilton," he said, comparing the two drivers. 

“Except that Fernando’s choices were not correct and Hamilton was right. But the desire that Fernando has… The best of all is that now people recognise him, Formula 1, and other drivers – they recognize him as a phenomenon.

“If Fernando hadn’t come back, his story would have been forgotten with a title or two.

“But being in Formula 1, at his age, when he has a good car, taking what he is taking, how he is physically, enormous, and mentally he is brutal. When Fernando beats a driver, he is happy that he is the one who wins.

“Now you don’t have a word against Fernando, he’s not a bully driver. [He] is winning Formula 1 by far. Not only because of the results but because he does not fail either.”