Di Grassi: Lewis remains one of the greatest drivers.
Lucas di Grassi, a former Formula 1 driver who now competes in Formula E (where he won the title in 2017), will turn 41 this August, meaning he is almost the same age as Lewis Hamilton.
Perhaps you can believe him when he says that Hamilton's peak fitness is already in the past, but the seven-time world champion remains one of the best drivers of all time.
Hamilton has now become a Ferrari driver, but the adjustment period to the Italian team and its car has dragged on, and the results clearly do not meet expectations. To his credit, Lewis won the sprint in China and finished third in a short Saturday race in Miami last weekend.
"I think it's partly due to his age, but at the same time we have to say that he still wants to succeed," di Grassi said in an interview with RacingNews365. "How much does he want to win another title? Is he able to subordinate his whole life to this goal, as in those years when he first aspired to become a world champion? How much time does he currently devote to working on the simulator?
I think his situation is influenced by many factors. I think we should also talk about his age, don't you agree? The situation is very unusual, but it also amazes me that it is possible to draw analogies with other sports.
For example, Rafael Nadal won the French Open 14 times and fought for every point as if it were the last time in his life. And if he lost, he lost his appetite the next day. And if a person is fighting for every point like Nadal in tennis, then it's a completely different matter.
When you get older, when you have a family, and your career is already established, and there are plenty of other opportunities around, will you still be able to sacrifice everything? In general, a lot depends on the psychological attitude, and it varies from person to person, and I am 100% sure that Lewis is no longer at his peak in terms of technical capabilities.
But that doesn't mean anything because, in my opinion, he remains one of the greatest racers in history. We are the same age, so I know him very well from karting and youth series. People expect him to perform at the highest level, but you have to keep in mind that it's not just about his abilities."
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Di Grassi: Lewis remains one of the greatest drivers.
Lewis di Grassi can be trusted when he says that Lewis Hamilton's peak form is already in the past, but the seven-time world champion remains one of the best drivers of all time...