Toto Wolff has leapt to Lewis Hamilton’s defence (Image: Formula 1 via Getty Images)
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Toto Wolff remains adamant that Lewis Hamilton is not at fault for his qualifying woes, despite the Brit asserting he is “definitely not fast anymore”.
Hamilton later follows those doubts up with some contrasting self-assurance, however, on a difficult Qatar Grand Prix weekend.
At first he labelled himself “slow” and appeared indifferent, stating “I don’t care”, all while eagerly anticipating the conclusion of his final season with .
However, post-qualifying on Saturday, Hamilton shifted his stance, confidently affirming his abilities and concluding that he’s extracted the maximum one-lap speed from his unpredictable W15 car. “I know I’ve still got it,” he proclaimed.
“It’s just the car won’t go faster. But I definitely know I’ve got it. It is not a question in my mind.”
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As speculation about Hamilton’s potential decline circulates, boss Wolff, who will soon see Hamilton switch to , maintains unwavering confidence in the seven-time champion’s abilities.
Responding to Hamilton’s self-critique of being “slow”, Wolff countered: “I’m certain that it’s not true. It’s just this generation of cars, particularly how the car is now
“It’s just something that he likes, he’s a late braker, he carries a lot of speed on the entry to the corner and the car doesn’t take it.”
Four-time champion has weighed in on Hamilton’s move to , saying that he expects his 2021 title rival to be a contender next year despite struggling this season.
Lewis Hamilton had a miserable weekend in Qatar (Image: Getty Images)
Verstappen stated: “It has been tough for [Hamilton] to get motivated fully this year because he knows he is leaving the team.
“I felt like as soon as he had that competitive car, and there was a chance of winning, you could see that he really stepped up.
“Then there were some races where the car was difficult and he was like ‘whatever’.
“I don’t think he will ever lose it. He has achieved so much. It is a new challenge for him next year. He will be very, very motivated to show he is a seven-time champion. But it will depend on the material he has got.”