‘We are missing the chance to see the best of him’: Damon Hill fears lack of challengers to Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes will leave many questioning value of his record breaking success
- Lewis Hamilton recently broke the record for most amount of F1 victories with 92
- The Mercedes driver is now looking to win a record equalling seventh world title
- He has won every world title bar 2016 since his second success in 2014
- But Damon Hill fears this run of glory with Mercedes will be questioned
- The Silver Arrows have won every drivers’ and constructors’ title since 2014
Damon Hill fears Lewis Hamilton‘s record-breaking run will be judged by a lack of serious competition in Formula One.
Hamilton has raced to 92 career victories and is on the verge of equalling Michael Schumacher’s all-time haul of seven world championships.
He heads into this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola with a 77-point lead over Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the standings.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton is on course for a record equalling seventh world championship
The Brit made history at the Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday by breaking Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 victories
It keeps the Briton on course to win his sixth title in seven seasons at Mercedes. He has also won 71 times with the sport’s all-conquering team since his transfer from McLaren in 2013.
‘There is a risk that Lewis’ achievements will be measured against the intensity of his competition,’ 1996 world champion Hill said.
‘He had to fight hard against (former team-mate) Nico Rosberg but he pretty much had the upper hand on him most of the time. Valtteri is doing a solid job but he cannot keep up with Lewis during the races.
‘Mercedes have totally dominated this era and Lewis is not being challenged.
Damon Hill (left, with Hamilton in 2018) claims that a lack of competition to the Brit could lead to many questioning the value of the his stunning success in recent years
‘He demolishes everyone but we are missing the chance to see the best of him because if he had to fight hard, that is when you see the great drivers shine. You cannot keep saying look at the king’s lovely new coat over and over again.’
Bottas is set to partner Hamilton for a fifth-consecutive season in 2021, and with changes to the regulations put on hold for 12 months following the coronavirus pandemic, Mercedes are expected to continue their domination into another campaign.
Max Verstappen is the only driver on the same level as Hamilton, but the 23-year-old Dutchman is tied into a long-term Red Bull contract.
Only Nico Rosberg (left) has managed to defeat Hamilton over an entire season going back to 2014 when he famously pipped his Mercedes team-mate to the 2016 world championship
Hill has called for an urgent overhaul of the sport’s governance, taking power away from the teams to ensure the best drivers are in the best machinery.
The 60-year-old continued: ‘People wanted to see Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in the same team, Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet in the same team and now they want to see Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in the same team. That is F1’s version of a boxing prize fight.
‘If we cannot get the teams to be equal then you must have these drivers in the same team and generate a show. But we have gone through a period where teams have being frightened of putting two stallions in the same stable.
Max Verstappen is vastly recognised as a serious contender to rival Hamilton on track but is locked into a contract with a Red Bull team that has been unable to offer a credible challenge
‘Mercedes want to keep Lewis sweet. He is the key to everything. He is so talented, he brings everything to the team, and the team are not going to want to upset him.
‘So how do you create a system whereby it makes no difference to Mercedes if they have another driver who is a rival to Lewis?
‘Let’s say Max finishes second in the championship, perhaps he should then have the opportunity to transfer himself into the Mercedes team? Or maybe the fans should be involved, saying we will pick the showdown we want to see.
‘It needs imagination, it needs vision and not simply for the teams to have a hold on the drivers.’