Lewis Hamilton offered some advice to the young generation of drivers in the post-race press conference at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. When the seven-time world champion talks, they’re bound to listen.
There will be at least four rookies on the grid in 2025. Kimi Antonelli is replacing Hamilton at Mercedes, while Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan and Gabriel Bortoleto are joining Haas, Alpine and Sauber respectively.
Franco Colapinto and Liam Lawson won’t be classed as rookies after joining the 2024 grid midway through the campaign. But both of them could complete their first full seasons in 2025.
Hamilton urged the next generation to distance themselves from the ‘negativity’ that inevitably comes with their profession. One way to do so is to ‘stay off social media’.
“Don’t do absolutely everything everyone tells you to do,” he said. “Ask lots of questions. Take your time. Don’t let the negativity get to you because, you know, people are so negative nowadays judging you non-stop.
“So stay off social media and keep your family and your closest friends close to you because they are the only ones that are your true friends and they’re going to be there for you when they go and get stuff.”
Some drivers channel online hate into motivation. For instance, Lando Norris taunted his trolls after winning his first F1 race in Miami.
Damon Hill suggests Franco Colapinto was right to delete X app
Rather than taking Norris’ approach, Colapinto may have listened to Hamilton. Speaking to Motorsport.com, the Williams driver said he’d deleted the ‘toxic’ X app (formerly Twitter) from his phone.
The 21-year-old has attracted legions of adoring Argentine fans since replacing Logan Sargeant at the end of August. He stunned the world of F1 by scoring five points in his first four races.
But, somewhat predictably given his inexperience, he’s now enduring a trickier spell. Colapinto has crashed out of the last two qualifying sessions – once in the wet in Brazil and once in the dry in Las Vegas – and he also hit the wall under the safety car at Interlagos.
Before the race in Vegas, Colapinto’s manager told online critics to ‘shut up’. He was adamant that his client would learn from his mistakes.
Damon Hill seems to think that Colapinto has made the right decision by letting his team manage his presence on the platform instead. His five-word reaction was: “Toxic. That word is contagious…”
Is this the moment that costs Franco Colapinto his F1 career?
Red Bull are interested in Colapinto for next year. With no Williams seat available, he could either slot into the top team at the expense of Sergio Perez, or join the stable as a RB driver instead.
Christian Horner says Colapinto has done a ‘great job’, but his interest may have cooled after the past couple of races. He’s shown that there would be an element of risk in signing him.
Giedo van der Garde fears Colapinto ‘threw away his seat’ with his Vegas error. Williams had warned him to be more cautious due to their lack of spare parts.
Perhaps the key is how the F2 graduate responds in the last two races. If he’s completely lost his confidence, his spell in the sport may prove to be short-lived, but if he can reset in the midst of a triple-header, it will reassure his suitors.
