Lewis Hamilton has responded to comments from fellow British Formula One icon, Sir Jackie Stewart, criticizing him as “short-minded.”
Stewart had expressed doubts about Hamilton’s hunger for an eighth world championship and suggested he needed to tackle significant issues.
Undoubtedly, the past few years have posed challenges for Hamilton. He faced a controversial defeat in the 2021 title race to Max Verstappen and endured his first winless season in 2022, partly due to a struggling Mercedes car.
Despite remaining without a win in 2023, the 38-year-old is on track to secure a third-place finish in the championship, trailing behind Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
The Brit recently inked a new two-year contract with Mercedes, a testament to his unwavering determination to secure an eighth championship title.
During an interview with BBC Breakfast, Hamilton reaffirmed his stance, responding to questions about Stewart’s remarks, stating: ‘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.
‘I think this past two years have been, whilst we’ve not had any success, it’s been a really amazing period of time.
‘We’ve all had to pull together, lift each other up, so that when we eventually get the car where we need it to be, I’ll be even better equipped, I think, than I have ever been before.’
Lewis Hamilton spoke from his hometown of Stevenage, where he interacted with students involved in his Mission 44 project.
The seven-time champion also mentioned his intent to avoid critiquing future drivers after his retirement, possibly referencing his recent clash with Stewart.
‘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,’ he added.
‘It’s about being inspiring rather than shutting them down. That’s the kind of figure that I want to be.’
Es más grande fuera de pistas que dentro de ellas. Un ejemplo de apertura, modernidad, pensamiento lateral, amor, respeto por el deporte, dignidad y visión de futuro para la categoría tanto para los corredores como para la afición deportiva. Gracias a Lewis, la F1 sigue viva después del robo de Abu Dahbi