There aren’t too many parallels that can be drawn between Lewis Hamilton and Damon Hill’s Formula 1 careers.
Lewis Hamilton made his debut for McLaren in 2007 as one of the most highly regarded youngsters to rise through the ranks of the junior formulas.
In stark contrast, Damon Hill was 32 when he raced in Formula 1 for the first time in 1992.
Hill can’t see another driver making their F1 debut under the same circumstances given how extensive every team’s scouting network is when it comes to finding new talent.
But both British drivers did end up becoming world champions, although Hill couldn’t replicate Hamilton’s unbelievable record.
Hill retired from F1 in 1999 at the age of 39, but Hamilton has surpassed him over the winter to become the second driver on the grid this season in his 40s alongside Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton is embarking on a new adventure with Ferrari this year and has a lot to learn before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Ferrari have seen Hamilton doing long hours in the factory to try and adapt to his new surroundings, but speaking to Speedcafe, Hill has admitted that he’s worried there’s one aspect of his racing skillset that he might have already ‘lost’.
Hill believes that drivers at Hamilton’s age lose an edge that his younger competitors will still have over him.
He’ll have to use all of his experience to get the better of several drivers who are less than half his age.
Damon Hill worried Lewis Hamilton has ‘lost’ his ability to push in qualifying
Hill was asked how Hamilton matches up to Leclerc and what he can add to his legacy at Ferrari and answered: “Well, I think it’s a good move for him to go to Ferrari.
“I think he’s very happy to be there and he knows that Charles is very quick.
“So, he’ll have to be able to get the best out of himself at his ripe age of 40 but he’s a very determined individual.
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“He has proven everyone wrong in just about every department so you can’t make any predictions about Lewis.
“And I think when he’s in a race, he is very formidable. I’m going to go out on a limb by saying he perhaps has lost a bit of qualifying pace and Charles might be slightly quicker than him on one-lapper.
“But, during a race, he just gets in a groove and off he goes, he’s still got all that talent.”
Damon Hill explains how F1 drivers lose their edge in qualifying amid Lewis Hamilton concerns
Hill was asked if Hamilton’s edge in qualifying is something that he experienced during his career and continued: “I think you do see it a little bit, yeah.
“I think when you’re in your early 20s, you have absolutely no fear and everything’s on instinct.
“And then I think more experience can actually be a hindrance because you’re looking for perfection and it’s very difficult to get perfection in this sport.
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“You’ve got to forget all the experiences you’ve had before in some ways when you’re qualifying, it’s just literally [the] seat of the pants driving for one lap.
“But it all clicks, sometimes you get a good car, you get a great feeling, you go out of the first corner you come to, you can feel the car’s planted and you can get the best out of yourself.
“So, it doesn’t mean you’ve lost everything.”
Hamilton was scathing about his own performances in qualifying towards the end of last season when Mercedes teammate George Russell beat him in the head-to-head statistics.
He’ll feel reinvigorated to perform at Ferrari and their car may suit his driving style better than the last few Silver Arrows.
But Leclerc is phenomenal in qualifying and Hamilton may have his work cut out matching the Monegasque over one lap in 2025.
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