Hamilton: Maintaining title-winning form is ‘biggest challenge for an athlete’

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In the round-up: Lewis Hamilton says keeping at a competitive level high enough to win consecutive championships is one of the toughest challenges an athlete faces.

What they say

Hamilton, who has won six of the last seven world championships, was asked how hard it is to sustain his competitive edge from one year to the next:

Consistently coming back each year, that is one of the biggest challenges an athlete in the world faces. The goal is always to try and improve and not drop the ball in the other areas that you’re strong at. Focus on weak areas while still keeping the others strong.

And I can tell you that it’s not an easy task. There’s been times where I’ve improved in some areas and other areas have dipped a bit.

A lot of it is also collaboration. It’s working with your engineers, challenging your engineers, having them challenge you in areas in which they feel they can see better ways of working together.

It goes back to energy levels, fitness and mental health. I think all these really important key factors and elements that we have to try and keep firing on all cylinders. Naturally we are on the edge as athletes and competitors being in competition and so that’s a very difficult balance to strike.

Quotes: Dieter Rencken

F1 NFT sells for record price

F1 Delta Time “70th Anniversary Edition” Apex car NFT
F1 Delta Time ’70th Anniversary Edition’ Apex car NFT

The record sale value for a virtual racing car was broken twice earlier this month. The F1 Delta Time ’70th Anniversary Edition’ Apex car non-fungible token (above) was sold for approximately $265,000 (£190,000), then 24 hours later on Saturday the ‘Australia Edition 2020’ went for $288,000 (£207,000). The latter sale raised funds for Australia’s recovery efforts from last year’s bushfires.

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Comment of the day

@Todfod picks McLaren as the most impressive team during pre-season testing:

They were the only team to switch to a new engine supplier, yet, they were the first to reveal their car and they finished the pre season test with no failures with a decent number of laps covered. They are also the only team to find a loophole and create a unique solution to one of they key performance areas – the diffuser.

They’ve been on an upward trajectory since 2018 and they seem to be finding the form again that made them one of the most formidable teams in the paddock. If they can consistent progress over this season and make another step forward next winter, I don’t see why they can’t be fighting for wins and podiums consistently.
@Todfod

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On this day in F1

Today in 2016: Renault presented their car for Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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65 comments on “Hamilton: Maintaining title-winning form is ‘biggest challenge for an athlete’”

  1. I absolutely agree with you Ham… but not in this sport
    In F1 you better say… “Maintaining title-winning form is biggest challenge for a car”

    1. @stigf1l agree. Imagine how even more boooooring f1 would have been if Renault engines, and not Mercedes, had nailed the 2014 regulations. Would we be talking of 11times WDC Sebastian Vettel?

      1. Worst case equally boring but more likely a tad less, even with backing I doubt Seb would’ve got past a handful.

      2. Yes and you would still be a VET fan instead of jumping ship! Shameful!

        1. @DeanR I still am a Vettel fan. The guy has talent, but it’s a shame that many people here can only remember Germany crash to talk him down. He wouldn’t be 4 times world champion without talent, and having to beat Alonso twice in the process.

      3. @omarr-pepper Given Ricciardo’s form, I think we’d be talking about him as the guy to beat Schumacher’s record. But to be honest, I don’t think Renault’s engine was the only thing stopping Red Bull from dominating. In 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, their chassis simply wasn’t good enough over the season.

    2. Seriously… Lewis’ schtick is so boring. Always talking himself up, as if people didn’t know how much of an extreme advantage he’s had over the last 4 years.

      1. I dont understand where his insecurity comes from either. He seems to still not have found out who he is exactly is. His try outs on all kinds of societal topics dont breathe consistency either

      2. Ugh, all he is saying is that it is hard to keep in race form physically and mentally. These guys don’t get to sit on the couch, get drunk and eat snack cakes all day like they might want to. Give the guy a break already. with these guys racing at 300km/h, they better be in top form or bad things will happen.

        1. Dont bother. Its pointless. Let them crack on.
          Lewis has done everything he needs to do to make these guys resort to pathetic, irrelevant digs. Sit back and enjoy the obvious discomfort he is causing them. 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆😢

          1. Yeah after 7 cups his sad face will come. You predicted it first.

    3. This exactly. With a title winning car all you have to be is better than your teammate.

  2. When you have the fastest car to win WDC why bother? Everyone knows LH is easy champ simply because they have fastest car on the grid. George Russell has proved it too when he replace LH during Sakhir GP last year. GR from slowest car to drive for merc easily dominate the race. Only merc silly mistake on wrong tyre calls made GR look silly for not winning.

    1. “mistake”

  3. Okay, I’ll bite. What is an F1 NFT?

    1. @SteveR

      I didn’t get it either really, but apparently it’s like a block chain certificate that proves you own the original of a digital file. Like a COA on some piece of digital artwork or IP.

  4. I disagree to a degree. To drive an average car takes an average person. To drive an F1 racing car with all its G forces, knowledge of set up. Mental pressures of competition. Being in top physical form to handle an F1 car on the limit or near the limit race after race. To concentrate on extracting every millisecond available takes a top performing, mentally and physically fit athlete. Getting to the top has its challenges. But maintaining that level has alot. Even if you have the best car. Having a car that does what you want is an added bonus ofcause.

  5. I guess he knows athletes? This is closer to chess than a sport that athletes participate in.

    1. Chess is a very demanding sport, concentration levels on a high game level is so hard that sweat is poring of your body. An healthy body is needed for the top, on the lower niveau’s you can do with normal levels.

      Ever drove carts? if you are not fit you arms feels like dead lifts and you body is broken tired. (and that is on the lowest level so what do you think on the highest?)

    2. Really? Until you have driven a race car (or any car for that matter) to its limit with less than a 4 second break for 2 hours, you are probably not qualified to comment on the athleticism required for this sport.

      1. It’s true. I’m fairly young and I race in a vintage series. During hot temps and close racing, I am praying to see the checkered flag after just 25 mins.

    3. F1 drivers are some of the most extreme athletes on the planet, @darryn.

      I’m surprised you’d be interested enough in F1 to come to this site whilst not being aware of that.

  6. Dean Franklin
    16th March 2021, 5:09

    It hasn’t exactly been like Michael Jordan winning 6 out of 6, Nadal equalling Federer.

    His biggest competition in the hybrid eras has been Rosberg and Bottas. All that he’s proven is that he’s faster than a couple of mid-tier drivers.

    1. Rosberg is a worthy champion. Probably more so than Raikkonen.

      1. You have never seen Kimi driving a Mclaren…

      2. Both make good points, rosberg is probably as good as vettel and better than raikkonen, and raikkonen was much better in 2003-2007 than he is now, he declined relatively fast.

        1. Vettel has demonstrated good race craft at Red Bull.

          Rosberg has never demonstrated good race craft. When Rosberg has tried to race wheel to wheel it’s always been clumbsy.

          Vettel’s pulled off some great moves over the years and had stunning drives.

          Even that multi-21 pass on Webber he was pinned to the wall and didn’t back off. That pass on Bottas Spain 2017 where he went onto the grass to get it done. That drive Abu Dhabi 2010, even Abu Dhabi 2012 was a storming comeback drive.

    2. Only Rosberg.

    3. Hi Career started long before the Hybrid era.

    4. Jordan didn’t win 6 out of 6, he took a 2 year break in between the 2 sets of 3, thus proving how difficult it actually is to maintain that high level.

      1. 6 out of 6 finals appearances.

  7. It begs the question…. will we perhaps see a little less perfection in his driving this year?

    You could blame it on his bout of covid, you could blame it on him passing his peak in the sport… I think Hamilton from testing 2020 perhaps wouldn’t have had quite as many incidents as he did this time round, the car being difficult to handle or not….

  8. Go Hamilton go!

  9. What on earth is F1 Delta Time and how does such a “token” sell for that much? That is just crazy. This one has gone completely over my head.

    1. @skipgamer I play F1 2020 regularly and it’s goes completely over my head also, I think you pay a huge amount of money to have a livery that nobody else can have, it really doesn’t make any sense, least to me, I’m hoping I’m wrong, maybe someone can clarify it for us.

      1. It seems that there are people that are willing to pay over 100 000 for a livery and if someone will buy it with that price someone will certainly sell it to you.

    2. @skipgamer I get that they’re unique and that’s where their value is derived from, but it’s remarkable that they go for that much. As they old saying goes, something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

    3. Neil (@neilosjames)
      16th March 2021, 8:39

      @skipgamer As far as I understand them, NFTs are digital collectibles. Like buying a painting, but… you don’t have a physical painting, you have a digital certificate that says you own a digital picture.

      This article might do better than me at explaining it – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56371912

      (sounds utterly absurd to me, but I’m sure it makes perfect sense to the people doing it…)

      1. sounds utterly absurd to me, but I’m sure it makes perfect sense to the people doing it…

        What’s next, people paying with computer bits and bytes?
        You could them Bytebills or …

        1. The thing is, most cryptocurrency isn’t being used for making payments – in many ways, they have been described as the embodiment of the theoretical idea of a purely speculative financial instrument made real. It has value solely because we ascribe value to it – it is very much the case that it is only worth what people say it should be worth.

          1. Digital pyramid schemes, nothing more

      2. It’s the digital equivalent of buying tulip bulbs.

        We just have no idea exactly when (or if) people are going to suddenly realize what a stupid idea it is. There is a whole class of people now who have so much money that they can literally spend millions of on being the certified “owner” of something that can be freely replicated.

  10. Who are the (100 or so) members of the F1 Grand Prix Drivers Club?
    Cannot find many names on the website other than of those that passed away.

  11. I’m still 100% confident he’s going to win the WDC for a record-breaking 8th time this year.

    The RS16 was first presented on February 3 with an interim livery, so two separate launch days.

    I like the look of the Apex Car NFT.

    The COTD could be right. Of course, only time will tell, but I share the same sentiments.

  12. I don’t agree with COTD that much about McLaren as much.

    Yes, McLaren “hit the ground running” in a sense, as in they had decent times and their car looked stable. But let’s not forget that unlike every other team with the exception of Haas, they are the only ones running what is pretty much wholesale last year’s car. So while I commend them for fitting a new engine unit and not running into major issues with that, I am not very surprised they didn’t have any issues with getting a stable car out there. Since they already knew that car through and through.

    Yes, their diffuser trick is smart, and I assume they’ll be in the upper midfield as they were before. But I doubt they’ll be ahead of the rest and are at the most risk of falling back as they’re a bit underdeveloped compared to the competition due to not having any tokens to spend on chassis development.

    1. @aiii I agree and am only luke warm about Mac this year too, and for next year. Oh I will always have a soft spot for them from Bruce McLaren’s Can-Am days, and from the Senna and Haakinen days, and I do hope they are only getting stronger and stronger, but I think for now and next year wins and podiums, at least on any kind of a regular basis, might be a stretch yet. They’ll never beat the factory team as a customer for one thing, and so I don’t think they’ll be beating Mercedes, Red Bull, nor maybe even Ferrari as of their recent offering, so I think 4th might be the best they can expect, with perhaps the odd shining moment here and there. As I say I wish them no harm though. Next year? Well who knows, but I think for now it is quite debatable as to how much momentum teams will be able to carry over, since there will be such a drastic reset in terms of the cars. I think it should still remain that even if Mac nails their car, they will still be on their hind foot compared to factory works teams.

      Just wanted to add that I did kind of chuckle at their approach of basically announcing their surprise that nobody picked up on their design innovation wrt the diffuser. Firstly, to me they might has well have just tipped their car on it’s side for the world to see their diffuser by saying that, and secondly their innovation does not mean others haven’t innovated too, and just have been much more quiet about it. And as well by spelling out what they have done, like the other teams and drivers as we have seen have now looked closely at each other’s efforts, their innovation will be dissected and adapted or rejected by the other teams anyway, so it won’t be unique for long.

  13. Valteri, your girlfriend designs your helmets (which is great, nothing against that), how are you a lone wolf?

    Arch Daily posted pictures of the new and beautiful Canadian GP paddock. Social media post is from today, not sure the entry on their website is new, or if it’s been covered on RaceFans yet. @keithcollantine

    1. @macaque I just checked images on Arch Daily’s site but didn’t note much difference from the most recent Canadian GP weekend (the pit building got re-build altogether between the 2018 and 2019 events in place of the old one).

      1. ‘re-built’

  14. @macaque thanks, I just looked that up and yeah, I really like the structure. It’s not often you see timber in a pit building, and it’s great to see what the garages look like when completely empty.

  15. Hey? Lewis talking himself up? That’s a new one!

  16. I’m still waiting for Lewis to show off his luxury tax exile home on “Through The Keyhole” with David Frost and Keith Lemon.

  17. Geez man, give one of the UK’s outstanding sportsmen of all time a break. Accused of tax avoidance as well as talking bs? Laughable.
    Can you not relate to what he’s saying even remotely, he’s pushed to the limit at his age in this sport. And I suppose Rodber would just give his money to the inland revenue and not employ a tax consultant, just retaining a decent wage?
    I’ve been on this site from when it was F1Fanatic and I don’t remember Vettel getting hammered so often by Brits.
    Go Eight Lewis.

    1. I’ve not visited here for a while, the Hamilton bashing has reached a whole new level. It’s really disappointing to see such ignorance of the sport and disrespect to such a great competitor.

      1. It’s actually quite comical. The misery Lewis is piling on them is palpable. I enjoy it! Good times 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

    2. Then you’ve obviously not been on here much. Even now in the testing thread someone managed to bash Vettel for his 2019 campaign, and that’s the norm more than the exception (from Hamilton fans obviously).

  18. To the many ‘car not driver’ style comments above, you should let Toto Wolff know he could have had the same results with any old midfield driver. You could save Mercedes tens of millions of ££ each year.

    1. LH is amazing, but George kind of validated the point you made sarcastically.

      1. How? By qualifying and finishing behind bottas?

      2. Did he? Did I miss something? Dont think he even made the podium? Or am I in an alternate Universe where the most successful driver ever is no better than a reserve driver? Who knew? 👍

  19. I really don’t see the issue people have with Hamiltons answer, he was asked a question and it is an eloquent, fast answer. It’s not like a cover letter for a job or an email to someone who is doing work on your house where you have lots of time to work on your paragraphs.
    Formula one drivers are referred to as athletes so nothing weird there either. He also talked about engineers so not “all about him”. And again he was asked a question about himself so what’s so weird?

    1. Nothing. Nothing at all about it was weird; it was a perfectly fine and thoughtful answer to a question. But there is a particular cohort of commenters that want to tear him down no matter what he says. It’s not about the content of the answer itself.

  20. Oh yeah, a multi-million job contract is hard? Dang, who knew!? Shrug…

Comments are closed.