James Vowles of Mercedes and Great Britain and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Great Britain during the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on August 04, 2019 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Peter J Fox/Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)
James Vowles, the current boss of Williams, has credited seven-time champion for shaping him into the man he is today. Vowles, who spent over two decades with the team that became in 2010, worked closely with Hamilton during an era that saw them clinch 14 drivers’ and constructors’ titles.
Speaking to the at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton’s final race for the Silver Arrows before his move to , Vowles said: “I am the man I am today thanks to .
“He taught me about how you can reinvent yourself every single year. Continuous change, continuous improvement, continuous evolution. Don’t accept what you knew six months ago – accept where you want to be in six months’ time.”
Vowles also praised Hamilton’s ability to constantly reinvent his training methods, data analysis, and working relationships with engineers.
“If you think about what that really means, you’re winning multiple world championships and yet you question everything at the end of the year. It led me into the same sort of mindset and I think that’s the same. I am the human I am today thanks to him.
Lewis Hamilton poses for his final team photos with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Image: Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Whether Hamilton will be able to vie for that elusive eighth championship he so desires in a remains uncertain. Doubts have been cast over whether the Brit might be experiencing a dip in his abilities, following a challenging final season for despite two victories.
However, Vowles still believes Hamilton has the necessary skills and looks forward to seeing him create more history in the future. He concluded: “We had some incredible times, both personal and on track and I can only wish him all the very best and success in his future in and I think he’ll be brilliant.”