F1 News: Former Driver Expects Lewis Hamilton To Show "George Russell Why He Won 7 World Championships"

David Coulthard backs Lewis Hamilton to show "George why he won seven World Championships."

Former F1 driver David Coulthard believes that Lewis Hamilton is still operating at his peak performance, despite his recent struggles in the Mercedes W14. Coulthard attributes Hamilton's lacklustre results to the car's underperformance rather than any decline in the seven-time champion's abilities.

Hamilton had an unusual 2022 season without securing a victory, which was a first in his long Formula 1 career. However, Mercedes has also faced a challenging start to the 2023 F1 campaign. The W14 car has returned the team to a situation similar to their performance at the same point in 2022, with their challenger posing little threat to the leading Red Bull cars.

As a result, Hamilton faces a significant challenge to contend for the F1 2023 title, although the record-breaking eighth World Championship remains a tantalising goal. During a recent interview with Channel 4, Coulthard explained:

“This is the best car that George has ever driven, remember he was at Williams, this is not the best car that Lewis has ever driven.

“His mind is in a different place, the car isn’t talking to him, playing to his strengths and you can see he is fighting it out there, it’s just not stable.

“So you have two drivers at different phases of their career. The mighty Lewis is still in there, it just won’t really show itself until the Mercedes is as mighty as it once was.”

Coulthard suggests that Hamilton's struggles are primarily due to the limitations of the W14 car, which fails to cater to his strengths and does not provide the stability he requires. He believes that Hamilton's mind is preoccupied with concerns such as the frustration of driving an underwhelming car and negotiations over a contract extension with Mercedes.

The former driver further emphasises that Russell benefits from being able to drive with relative freedom, without the additional "baggage" that Hamilton carries. While acknowledging Russell's impressive performance and his status as a valuable asset to the team, Coulthard is confident that once Hamilton has a car that better suits his style, he will demonstrate why he is a seven-time World Champion. He continued:

“George is just sort of constantly there. This is the best car he’s ever driven, so he’s not caught up with the baggage of Lewis trying to figure it out, ‘am I re-signing for another year?’ ‘Can I win another World Championship?’ So there’s a lot more on his plate.

“George is doing a brilliant job, [he is an] absolute asset for the team. That’s not to say Lewis isn’t doing a brilliant job, it just means that the car isn’t talking to him right now and when it does, expect him to be showing George why he won seven World Championships.”

The upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola is expected to showcase a revamped W14 from Mercedes, an upgrade package that Hamilton has eagerly awaited. Currently sitting in fourth place in the Drivers' Championship, Hamilton holds a 16-point advantage over Russell, who suffered a major setback with a retirement from the Australian GP, which he had been leading at one point. 

Coulthard's observations provide insights into the challenges faced by Hamilton in the 2023 season. While the Mercedes W14's underperformance may be hindering the legendary driver, fans and enthusiasts eagerly anticipate his resurgence once the car aligns with his strengths and capabilities.