Hamilton's work ethic "has not changed" despite tough 2022

Mercedes’ technical director Mike Elliott says Lewis Hamilton is still pushing the team on as hard as ever despite their lacklustre 2022 campaign.

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Seven-times world champion Hamilton has been at Mercedes since 2013 and won all but one of his titles with the team.

But Mercedes faces its first season without scoring a win since 2011 if it fails to take a victory in any of the four remaining races. After eight successive years as constructors’ champions, the team are already ruled out of successfully defending their crown with four grands prix to go.

Hamilton and new team mate George Russell mathematically hold a chance of finishing the season as runner-up. However their best chances to win a race this year may have already passed.

Nonetheless Elliott says “both our drivers have been brilliant” despite the team’s unexpected slump in performance. “We’ve not given them the car that they need to fight and particularly for Lewis, seven-times world champion, to not have been in that position, to be winning races every weekend and fighting for championships has been hard.”

Their lack of success in 2022 has made no noticeable difference to Hamilton’s approach, says Elliott. “Lewis pushes the team. He does a really good job of giving us feedback. He works really hard.

“His work ethic has not changed at all this year. He’s here late in the evenings, working with us, trying to get the most from the car and I think that’s just an encouragement to everybody else in the team to see the input he’s putting in.”

Hamilton has also been rallying the troops at the team’s Brackley base. “Lewis also spoke to the factory probably nearly two weeks ago, stood up and spoke to them and he was brilliant,” Elliott explained.

“I guess what you expect from a character like Lewis: properly leading, properly bringing energy to the team. I think that’s what we need going into a difficult winter.”

Elliott also praised Russell’s contribution in his first season since his promotion from Williams. “He’s working really hard with the team,” he said.

“What’s been really nice has been to see him grow,” he said. “You sit down next to a seven-times world champion at the table and bringing your contributions has got to be tough at the beginning but I think George has had a big part to play in the team and I think he’s doing a really good job.”

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14 comments on “Hamilton’s work ethic “has not changed at all” in face of difficult 2022 campaign”

Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
13th October 2022, 10:06

Is that a good thing? Shouldn’t the whole team step up their efforts in the face of a fundamentally flawed car?
1. André
  13th October 2022, 13:51
  
  Pro tip: if you don’t have anything constructive to say, don’t say anything.
  1. Jelle van der Meer (@)
    13th October 2022, 14:32
    
    Pro tip: listen to your own advice and please tell Toto your tip as well
  2. Ajaxn
    13th October 2022, 15:24
    
    Agreed!
    
    reminds me of that pop song “When You Say Nothing At All”
2. drmouse (@drmouse)
  14th October 2022, 7:55
  
  That depends… If someone is already giving their best, puts everything they have into the job, they cannot give more when a difficult situation arises. On the other hand, if someone holds back under normal circumstances, they have the ability to push harder if they choose.
  
  You cannot give more that your best. When people say someone “gave it 110%”, that’s 110% of their standard effort, not of their maximum. If someone’s standard effort is already their maximum, they can never “give 110%”.
Pedro
13th October 2022, 19:16

Why should it Change?
1. drmouse (@drmouse)
  14th October 2022, 7:58
  
  Precisely. He works hard, on and off track, giving it his best. He’s still working hard, on and off track, giving it his best. He can’t work harder, because he is already giving it his best, and he hasn’t slacked off. Sounds like the ideal employee to me.
hyoko
13th October 2022, 20:39

Ever had any?
1. paulguitar (@paulguitar)
  13th October 2022, 23:42
  
  hyoko
  
  It’s well known that Hamilton is a very hard worker, and does a lot behind the scenes. People have tended incorrectly to assume over the years that his outrageous natural talent has meant he has always been able to coast, but people who work with him say that is not the case.
  1. hyoko
    14th October 2022, 0:23
    
    what about the tooth fairy?
    1. RomTrain
      14th October 2022, 7:29
      
      better ask max about the wdc fairy
      1. hyoko
        16th October 2022, 21:36
        
        Orange does not become my complexion
2. AlexTR (@petrucci)
  14th October 2022, 5:50
  
  You don’t like him. We’ve understood that.
  1. paulguitar (@paulguitar)
    14th October 2022, 8:52
    
    Indeed, the lack of respect is notable, and it is getting worse and worse. The blind hatred of truly great drivers is truly disappointing. I’m seeing more and more genuine foolishness online, and things are getting more and more polarised.