Former Formula 1 driver Marc Surer has made scathing criticisms of Lewis Hamilton, labeling the Briton as a ‘spoiled child’ for struggling when he doesn’t have the fastest car on the grid. Since leaving Mercedes to drive for Ferrari this year, Hamilton has yet to win a Grand Prix or step onto the podium, in a period of adaptation to a very different team environment and culture from his old team.
“Lewis Hamilton is simply a spoiled child who has always driven the best cars. If the car suits him, he wins with ease,” Surer told Austrian magazine Vollgas. “But as soon as he doesn’t have the fastest car, problems arise.”
Surer, who competed in 82 Grands Prix between 1979 and 1986, compared Hamilton to Fernando Alonso, praising the Spaniard’s ability to extract the maximum from any equipment: “Hamilton is not like Alonso, who can cope with compromises and get the most out of every car,” he added.
Among the difficulties faced by the seven-time champion at Ferrari is adapting to Brembo brakes, something new in his career. This change has compromised one of his strong points during his Mercedes days, late braking: “I didn’t expect this. I thought he would still stand out in the races thanks to his experience, but that’s not happening. Moreover, he was already facing problems in the last two years alongside George Russell. At Ferrari, he now has an extremely fast teammate in Charles Leclerc,” Surer concluded.
With modest results and growing criticism, Hamilton is trying to regain his rhythm at Scuderia, while Surer questions whether the Briton will be able to return to the dominant level of his glory years.
