Lewis Hamilton accused of 'naughty' behaviour as Damon Hill sides with...

Lewis Hamilton accused of ‘naughty’ behaviour as Damon Hill sides with…read more

Lewis Hamilton has been called out for “naughty” tactics in a tense battle with his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, during the Mexican Grand Prix. Starting behind Russell, Hamilton quickly claimed the advantage by overtaking him on the first lap. However, Russell soon regained the upper hand, though not without a fierce defense from Hamilton, who made a sharp maneuver as they approached Turn One. The move caught the attention of former F1 World Champion Damon Hill, who voiced concerns about Hamilton’s defensive tactics.

Hill, speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, described Hamilton’s actions as a “little bit naughty.” He believes the move could warrant further examination, as it touched on what he considers a wider issue within F1: the role of stewards and the potential benefit of having former drivers more involved in judgment calls. Hill argued that experienced ex-drivers could bring unique insights that are essential when judging split-second decisions on track. He pointed out that current stewards, while knowledgeable about regulations, may lack the direct racing experience to assess driving nuances fully.

Originally, Hill explained, the inclusion of former drivers in the stewarding process was intended to bridge this gap. The aim was to allow those who had raced at a high level to weigh in on incidents based on a firsthand understanding of what’s fair and what crosses a line. Over time, however, many former drivers enlisted as advisors have become stewards themselves, thus taking on all the regulatory responsibilities and guidelines that regular stewards follow. According to Hill, this shift may have diluted the unique value former drivers bring to incident reviews, as they are now bound by the same set of regulations.

Reflecting on Hamilton’s defensive move, Hill speculated that if an ex-driver like Martin Brundle were solely responsible for reviewing it, he might not hesitate to call it out as over the line. Hill’s comments add to the ongoing debate around stewarding decisions, particularly those involving experienced drivers like Hamilton, who bring years of aggressive and strategic racing to the track.

In the meantime, the rivalry between Hamilton and Russell continues to intensify, with moments like these sparking both excitement and controversy among fans and analysts alike.