Lewis Hamilton responds to Jackie Stewart insult and fears of ‘serious problems’

Lewis Hamilton commits to Mercedes until 2025

Lewis Hamilton has responded to Sir Jackie Stewart’s claims that the Mercedes driver has ‘serious problems’. Three-time world champion Stewart claims that the British star has lost his ‘hunger’ for victory having failed to win a race since late 2021.

Hamilton is set for a second barren season sitting fourth in the Drivers’ Championship and driving a Mercedes which is far off the leading Red Bull’s pace. The current situation is a stark contrast to when Hamilton joined the Silver Arrows and won six world titles in eight seasons.

Stewart questioned whether Hamilton has the hunger to relive his former glory during an interview with German publication BILD. He said: “In the last decade he (Hamilton) competed with Mercedes for a team that was virtually out of competition. During this time, Lewis only had one real competitor: his respective teammate. Except for 2016, he always emerged victorious from the duel.

“And then he lost to Nico Rosberg. With respect: a good driver, but not the most talented in the world. But Rosberg was hungry and had the absolute will to become world champion. Lewis no longer has that hunger. Because of that – and because the car is no longer quite as powerful – he has serious problems.”

Hamilton, who hasn’t won a Grand Prix since 2011, signed a two-year extension to his contract with Mercedes last month. He snapped back at Stewart during an interview with BBC. He said: “I’ve always been competitive, that’s just in my DNA, that’s never going to change.

“There’s so much more to being a racing driver. There are people who are very short-minded that make the comments that they do. Not knowing the work that has been done in the background, not knowing the work that I’m doing.”

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Hamilton then seemingly fired an insult back at Stewart. He added: “One thing I hope, and I never want to do is, in the future, when I one day stop and looking back on the youth or the next driver generation, I want to be encouraging them and let them know it’s okay to make mistakes.

“It’s about being inspiring rather than shutting them down. That’s the kind of figure that I want to be.” Hamilton will be hoping for a fifth podium of the season at the Singapore Grand Prix next weekend.

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