Hamilton: "Vettel showed more nerves than before"

  • Published on 08 Dec 2017 13:27
  • comments 3
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Lewis Hamilton said Sebastian Vettel buckled "under extreme pressure" in 2017. In June, the quadruple world champion was locked in a tight championship battle with Vettel in Azerbaijan, when the Ferrari driver deliberately crashed into him during a safety car period.

"Seb showed more nerves this season than before," Hamilton told Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspaper. "None of us are superman, and everyone can fail under extreme pressure," the Mercedes driver added. "Some reached that point sooner, others later. It's like tennis. If Federer plays against Nadal, one waits for a small weakness in the other, because half a per cent is enough."

But Hamilton said he thrives under high pressure. "You saw it at the end of the season. Suddenly I had no more pressure and was not very good," he laughed. "I compare this season with a 100 sprint by Usain Bolt," Hamilton continued. "He often gets a bad start but then he comes back."

And he expects Ferrari's Vettel to come out of the blocks strongly in 2018. "I'm assuming that he recovers his strength for next year, but I'm not afraid," said Hamilton. (GMM)

Replies (3)

Login to reply
  • f1ski

    Posts: 726

    Knowing that your competition can run longer at higher power levels would make any racer nervous. It takes skill out of the equation when your car can run 10kph faster with more downforce.

    • + 0
    • Dec 8 2017 - 15:56
    • I get your point, but I disagree with the implication that Mercedes had a better car all season. That's simply incorrect. I still think Ferrari and Vettel threw away the championship with driving errors and pathetic reliability issues.

      • + 0
      • Dec 8 2017 - 20:02
    • Ferrari probably had the better car up until the midpoint, after that it was a bit more vague. Mercedes probably had the better engine overall all along, and it paid off at the end of the season. Not sure how much Ferrari impacted the spark plug, I say it was bad luck, but yeah, Ferrari were definitely overextending it on the reliability side anyway. But then again, you sorta need to when you are up against Mercedes.

      • + 0
      • Dec 8 2017 - 20:15

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2023

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
31 - Apr 2
Australia
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
5 - May 7
United States of America
19 - May 21
Italy
26 - May 28
Monaco
2 - Jun 4
Spain
16 - Jun 18
Canada
30 - Jul 2
Austria
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
1 - Sep 3
Italy
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
22 - Sep 24
Japan
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
-
Spain
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
-
Italy
-
Italy
-
Italy
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
3 - Mar 5
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
16 - Jun 18
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
22 - Sep 24
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Mercedes
  • Points 3,154
  • Podiums 127
  • Grand Prix 184
  • Country United Kingdom
  • Date of b. Jan 7 1985 (38)
  • Place of b. Tewin, United Kingdom
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.74 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar