Following the Italian Grand Prix qualifying, Lewis Hamilton went introspective. The British driver was enraged by his mistakes on the last lap of qualifying and declared he had the car to grab the lead.
Toto Wolff then expressed his hope that Kimi Antonelli and George Russell would learn from the actions of the seven-time champion.
According to Formule1.nl, Wolff explained the reason behind Hamilton’s self-criticism as he said, “I think the great quality of a champion is to look at himself first and say, ‘What did I do wrong?’ before looking elsewhere.”
Toto Wolff praised Lewis Hamilton’s self-critical approach, calling it a “great characteristic” that will shape his legacy at Mercedes.
The Mercedes team principal added, “I think that’s what he’s doing, trying to analyze where he can improve himself, and then thinking where else their performance was on the table from the team. He’s been very strong in that, also as a role model for George and even for Kimi.”
Blaming himself, the Briton explained how qualifying has been his weakness in recent times. Hamilton added that the team deserved better and that maybe they’ll get it with Antonelli stepping in for him next year.
The Mercedes prodigy was announced as the Briton’s replacement the very same weekend. Although the reports pre-empted the announcement, it seemed unlikely following Antonelli’s crash in the FP1 session. Regardless, Hamilton’s future boss saw Hamilton’s self-doubt a long way back.
Vasseur Claimed Self-doubt as Hamilton’s Secret Strength
Vasseur knew Hamilton from the F2 days as the Briton drove for the Frenchman’s team ART Grand Prix. The Ferrari TP recognized Hamilton’s talent early and signed him within a year of joining the Scuderia.
Speaking on the Red Flags podcast in 2022, Vasseur said, “I remember Lewis perfectly in F3, F2, he was the guy who told me most often – ‘I had a poor drive.’”
Vasseur continued, “You need to be very self-confident to be able to say ‘I did a poor job’. ‘I’m still the best one don’t worry, but I did a poor job today.’”
Most of the modern-day F1 drivers like Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc are slammed for being super self-critical. However, according to Vasseur, it is a sign of a great driver.
