Guest Post: Time to Grow Up, Lewis

Who is the most talented driver in Formula One? Not who has the most points or podiums, but who actually has the most natural talent?

It is not Sebastian Vettel, nor is it Fernando Alonso – the driver with the greatest raw ability is undoubtedly Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 World Champion.

Hamilton was the 2008 World Champion

Former greats of the sport like Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jackie Stewart all agree, and until recently Hamilton’s daredevil overtakes and electric pace have always made him the most exciting driver to watch.

But this year has seen the wheels fall off Hamilton’s campaign – literally, in some cases. He lies fifth in the championship with two races to go, and it cannot all be blamed on the car.

Jenson Button, Hamilton’s McLaren-Mercedes team mate, is currently second in the drivers’ standings, 38 points ahead of Hamilton. Despite having the same car, Hamilton has been consistently outperformed by the only person against whom he can be accurately measured.

This drop of form is not just a case of misfortune – Button has retired from the same number of races but is nearly two race victories ahead of Hamilton in the championship.

No, this is more psychological than anything else. It goes deeper than a simple ‘loss of mojo’, as Eddie Jordan would have us believe. There are a number of factors which have led to this situation.

The first is his management. After separating from his manager father Anthony, Lewis has clearly been unable to find a management team who can understand him and support him as well as his father during his earlier career.

Hamilton has been in a number of collisions in 2011

Having an uncompetitive car has not helped Hamilton. Even a reborn Fangio could not have beaten the Red Bulls this season. This has made Hamilton desperate, leading to erratic manoeuvres and rash decisions.

Away from the track, relationship troubles cannot have helped his psyche. Splitting from singer Nicole Sherzinger removed another support mechanism from Hamilton. With few close friends outside the sport, he needs his team to support him now.

Yet within McLaren, Hamilton is second fiddle. He feels under pressure, and instead of having the team pandering to his every need sees plaudits offered to the ever-relaxed Button. One only has to look back to the Hamilton-Alonso clashes of 2007 to see that Lewis does not like to be beaten by his team mate.

Other drivers have had similar issues, but without the same dramatic effect. Michael Schumacher does not complain when beaten by Nico Rosberg, and Heikki Kovalainen remains professional despite the sluggishness of his Team Lotus.

Hamilton needs to grow up. It is not necessarily his fault; he has been in motorsport since the age of nine and knows nothing else. Peaking at age 23, he may have matured as a driver, but not as a person. He has not experienced the same problems as most other young adults, and now has no response when all of these troubles come at once.

Other stars have suffered from a changeable temperament

It is not uncommon for this to happen among young sports stars. Andy Murray used to struggle to control his temperament, whilst Wayne Rooney arguably still does. Tiger Woods collapsed after simultaneously experiencing personal problems and a loss in form, whilst the 2011 England Rugby squad showed everyone how to act unprofessionally in the public eye.

In order to get through this, Hamilton needs to rebuild his support mechanisms, regather his composure and focus on 2012 – where he would be well advised to drive more with his head, and less with his heart.

Time to Grow Up, Lewis

 A guest article, skillfully crafted by Dom Wood-Hill