Lewis Hamilton has cited Christian Horner’s radio messages to Max Verstappen following yet another Red Bull victory as evidence that F1 teams can become bored with winning.
Hamilton, who won at least one race in every season between his debut in 2007 and 2021, is set to complete a second consecutive winless year at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
While Hamilton has not won a race since the final round of the 2021 season in Saudi Arabia, former title rival Verstappen has won 43 of the last 65 races dating back to the start of his maiden title-winning season.
Lewis Hamilton notices a significant difference in Red Bull, Max Verstappen’s celebrations
Verstappen set a new record earlier this season when he won 10 consecutive races between Miami and Monza, and he recently broke his own 2022 record for the most wins by a driver in a single season.
Verstappen’s 19th victory in Abu Dhabi in 2023 would move him ahead of Sebastian Vettel on the list of all-time Grand Prix winners, with only Hamilton and Michael Schumacher ahead of him.
Hamilton dominated F1 at the start of the V6 hybrid era in 2014, winning six titles in seven years and averaging at least nine grand prix victories per season.
The 38-year-old is eager to return to winning ways ahead of the second anniversary of the infamous 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, where he was dethroned by Verstappen in highly contentious circumstances.
And he believes Horner’s reaction to Verstappen’s victories over team radio proves that the winning feeling fades after the novelty wears off.
“You approach every year exactly the same,” he told Channel 4 News. I’m still preparing and training. If anything, you go deeper and try to pay attention to more details.
“I think that through adversity and this experience for two years, I’ve learned a huge amount as a driver – not necessarily on track, but especially off track in terms of how I engage with everyone, and I like to think that’s a real positive.”
“Also, when you have so much success, it’s difficult to keep things in perspective, no matter how hard you try.” When Max wins, I can hear it in Christian Horner’s voice: he doesn’t know what to say. ‘Here we go again,’ he says. Max, you did an excellent job.
“The excitement wears off, but when you first get that win, it’s incredible.” But it’s not the same if you have it all the time.
“Of course, I want to win once more.” I believe that when we win again, the joy will be even greater because everyone has worked so hard.”
Following a poor showing at Suzuka in September, Hamilton warned that Mercedes would need “the greatest six months of development ever” to compete with Red Bull and Verstappen in 2024.
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