Lewis Hamilton has been in the Formula One business long enough to know the nitty-gritty of every aspect of the sport. He has had his moments of glory and setbacks with Mercedes whilst dominating the sport for a decade. While the 2023 season has brought along its own set of challenges, the 38-year-old’s commitment level is yet to witness a dip.
At the recently concluded Mexico Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton redeemed himself after facing an unfortunate disqualification during the previous weekend. He managed the tyre wear situation to come home second behind Max Verstappen. However, the British driver allegedly played mind games during the final few laps of the race to keep competition at bay, says Mercedes development driver Esteban Guiterrez.
Lewis Hamilton’s Complaint Of Tyre Life Was A Physiological Tactic, Reveals Mercedes Rookie!
Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula One world champion, is a master of delivering in crunch situations. His racing IQ is something that has attained him immense success in the past decade. Physiologically, Hamilton is more equipped than any other driver on the grid to manipulate its rivals. The same skill was on display during the recently concluded Mexico Grand Prix. During the final few laps of the race, Hamilton constantly complained about his tyres not being good enough to last till the end of the Grand Prix. To those unversed, Lewis had a set of mediums that he had to drag to 30+ laps as Mercedes opted for a one-stop strategy.
Not once but twice, Lewis Hamilton was heard on the radio saying that he wouldn’t be able to drag his mediums till the very last lap. However, Hamilton’s performance on the track completely differed from his assessment. He was increasing the gap to Charles Leclerc and even set the fastest lap time on the last lap of the race. Meanwhile, Mercedes development driver Esteban Gutierrez opened up on the situation and claimed that it was a psychological tactic from Lewis’ end to deceive the competitors. He fooled the rest of the grid into believing that his mediums were dropping off. Esteban also added that the British driver has used the same tactical process multiple times in his storied career. The rookie believes that Hamilton is excellent when it comes to tyre and temperature management. He has an unimaginable nick for details, which sets him apart from the masses. And the fans got to see another piece of his brilliance in Mexico.
Lewis Hamilton Proud Of Team After Mexico GP Bounce Back!
In hindsight, Lewis Hamilton was really proud of himself and Mercedes for staging an inspiring comeback in Mexico. Hamilton, who faced a disqualification a week earlier, clinched a podium finish in Mexico. It was indeed a hard-fought race. After the race, Lewis reviewed the team’s performance and had nothing but positive things to say.
Lewis Hamilton asserted that he didn’t have to push hard as the car had required pace. But at the same time, securing P2 from P6 start wasn’t a smooth ride. Also, the disappointment of previous difficult weekends loomed over Mercedes’ and Hamilton’s shoulder. “To bounce back from a difficult weekend last weekend with this result is really well done,” concluded Hamilton.