Hamilton vs Schumacher debate answered as former colleague of both weighs in

26 January 2024 , 18:55

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Michael Schumacher raced for Mercedes before Lewis Hamilton joined to replace him (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

A former colleague of both Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher feels it was the Brit who had the "most natural talent".

Both are Formula 1 legends in their own right. They each have seven world championships to their names, more than anyone else in the sport's history, though Hamilton's record of 103 race wins eclipses the 91 managed by Schumacher.

All of the German's victories came in his first spell in the sport, which ended with his first retirement in 2006. He later came back in 2010 to help establish the new Mercedes team, before leaving F1 for good three years later when replaced by Hamilton.

James Vowles worked with both of them, having worked for the team since before it was known as Mercedes, leaving only last year to take the top job at Williams. And, for him, Hamilton was the one who stood out.

"I struggle to find another sport similar to this where it's a team sport, but it starts with beating your team-mate," he told the High Performance podcast. "If you don't beat your team-mate, you're in question. The key behind it is that's just one fight, but actually, each individual contributes towards the success of the team. Simple as that.

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"With Lewis, when he joined us [he] was, and still is today, the most - within my Mercedes career - the most naturally talented driver I've worked with, including Michael. Just so much natural talent. That journey we took him on was, 'We'll win championships together'.

"His mentality at the time when he joined was a brilliant one, I can see why he's so successful, but it was, 'I'm going to win every race at all costs, it doesn't matter what the cost is'.

"But if you speak to him today it has migrated, he accepts that it's the second places and third places that win championships. And building and working with the team on the days where you can't win the race will give you far more reward than pushing everyone away in order to win that single race out of it.

"Lewis just has oodles of natural talent. And, with him, he's got these tendencies and traits where when you go out in FP1, he's like an octopus all over the wheel. He'll change every setting on the wheel near enough and explore it. But it's what makes him incredible.

"At times you'll see Lewis drops backwards and often when he jumps forwards again it's because he's gone to a set-up that's known and now he's back on the money. But he's able to do that and many drivers aren't. He's able to explore often, perhaps in the wrong place on set-up, but he's learning from it. And that's Lewis all over."

Daniel Moxon