Former 2x champion astonished with the amount of criticism Lewis Hamilton faces - "There are a million things he would like to say"

Lewis Hamilton has plenty to say to his critics but chooses not to, according to former two-time F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen.

Hakkinen raced in F1 between 1991 and 2001. He led McLaren to two of their last three Drivers' World Championships in 1998 and 1999 while fighting off the Ferrari juggernaut in the process.

Hamilton is set to embark on his 11th season with Mercedes in 2023, tying Michael Schumacher for most seasons with a single team. However, the seven-time world champion will come into the campaign with a proverbial chip on his shoulder.

The Briton failed to notch up a single win or pole position all season long for the first time since his F1 debut back in 2007. This brought a barrage of criticism towards him, which Hakkinen felt was uncalled for.

While speaking about the Silver Arrows' chances in the forthcoming 2023 F1 season on the Unibet International YouTube channel, the 53-year-old said:

"Lewis Hamilton will once again... I think he'll be very motivated. He will give his everything. It'll be interesting to see how long he has the patience for F1. There's so much criticism and so many critics. I'm sure there are a million things he would like to say. But he knows how much debate it would cause. It's not an easy place to be after all these years."

Lewis Hamilton also finished in P6 in the drivers' standings last year, 35 points behind his teammate George Russell while struggling to tame the Mercedes W13. It was the first time he endured a double-digit points deficit against his teammate since the 2011 season, when he raced alongside former world champion Jenson Button at McLaren.

Hakkinen believes the 38-year-old will need to show improved mental fortitude when he goes up against Russell this time around. He went on to add:

"If the car is good and victorious, all is well. If not, his comments might not be very flattering. The motivation and mental strength need to be there. He needs to give 100% because his teammate is fast and strong. If Lewis can't beat his teammate, he's made a mistake somewhere."

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Lewis Hamilton could wait to assess Mercedes before signing contract extension, feels Damon Hill

Lewis Hamilton could be stalling on a possible contract extension with Mercedes as he might be waiting to assess the competitiveness of the W14 this year, according to 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill.

Hamilton is currently in the final year of his contract with the Silver Arrows, a team with whom he won six of his seven F1 Drivers' World Championships. While discussions on renewals have been in the air for some time now, a formal deal has not yet materialized.

Damon Hill shared his thoughts on the matter in a column for The Telegraph in the United Kingdom, where he said:

"Lewis Hamilton is out of contract at the end of this season. And it is going to be fascinating to see his next move. While both he and Mercedes have been saying for months that he plans to carry on, the fact remains that with less than a week until the first race of the year on March 5, nothing has yet been announced.

"It begs the question, why? One possible explanation is that both sides are waiting to see just how competitive Mercedes are before committing to a new deal."

The 1997 F1 world champion went on to add:

"If they start 2023 miles off the pace, perhaps Lewis will be less minded to sign a new long-term deal. Or perhaps it is the team who are dragging their heels. Lewis does not come cheap. He gives Mercedes a lot but he costs them a lot too. In George Russell, they have a young driver who might be capable of delivering a title in the right car."

George Russell is one of three teammates to have gotten the better of Lewis Hamilton over the course of an entire F1 season, with the other two being former world champions Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg.

Should Russell do a double over Hamilton, it could force the latter to rethink his future with both Mercedes and F1 in general.