sport news Former World Champion Damon Hill believes Lewis Hamilton can still win ... trends now
Damon Hill believes Lewis Hamilton still has what it takes to crown a glittering career with an eighth world title.
That is despite time seemingly running out for the Mercedes star — he is 37, is driving what his boss Toto Wolff called a ‘s***box’ and has only next year left on his contract. If he sees it out, that is.
But Hill, who won the world championship having just turned 36 in 1996, detects no diminution of ability in Hamilton when he looks behind the statistics of a disappointing campaign that leaves the Briton trailing his new team-mate George Russell by 37 points and championship leader Max Verstappen by 88 going into today’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Damon Hill has backed the seven-time champion to break Michael Schumacher's record
‘Lewis can win an eighth world title,’ Hill told The Mail on Sunday prior to a slithering and slippery third practice session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve here yesterday. ‘Fatigue can be a problem as drivers get older. You pack up and move from one country to another and do routine things such as media, sponsor events — if you find all that a chore, it can grind you down. It will make you perform badly. I don’t see that with Lewis. He doesn’t seem to be fatigued to me. So he can go on as long as he wants.
‘He took a massive blow in Abu Dhabi last year, losing to Max (Verstappen) in the final race. Anyone can understand how hard it must have been psychologically to get so close to an eighth title and then to be denied it through what we might call a clerical error.
‘But he is doing fine. He is probably looking out of the corner of his eye and seeing Fernando (Alonso) still going strong at nearly 41. Fernando can still give some of the younger guys a run for their money.
Lewis Hamilton has failed to secure either a pole position or race win so far this season
‘Yes, George has beaten Lewis in qualifying more often than not, but there are extenuating circumstances because Lewis has been doing the donkey work. George is not experienced enough to carry out the experimental stuff on the car, so that has been left to Lewis.
‘He has matured and is now happy to accept he has a younger kid who is keen and quick. But, if it
