Lewis Hamilton's growth was 'ultimately limited' by two individuals, recalls former McLaren team boss

Lewis Hamilton's long and successful career in F1 wasn't all roses and sunshine. Even though he was lucky to be on teams when they were in their prime, he was not always surrounded by the best people. Back in 2012, the Briton made a huge decision to move from McLaren to Mercedes.

Despite McLaren being the faster car at the time, Hamilton wanted a fresh challenge from another team since he was unable to win his second world title after 2008. His move was further catalyzed by Ron Dennis, who made some personal accusations against the Briton. This heavily damaged the relationship between the team and the driver.

Speaking about Hamilton's rough relationship and phase in McLaren, former McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh said:

“He was very cosseted at McLaren, very controlled by two individuals he wanted to divorce himself from [his father and Dennis]. They had contributed to his growth but then ultimately limited his growth. I think he had the belief that he had to become his own man, and he had to be able to survive and grow further without those two dominant characters.”

Though Lewis Hamilton currently has a fantastic relationship with his father, that was not always the case, as mentioned by Whitmarsh. He further explained how moving to Mercedes was one of Hamilton's most difficult decisions since it allowed him to take back control of his career. The former McLaren team principal said:

“It was the most difficult decision of his life. He was emotional about it. But at the time, I sensed it was the right decision for him, and subsequently it’s proven to be just that.”

Luckily, the move to Mercedes was a blessing in disguise as the Briton went on to win six of his seven world titles with the team.

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Lewis Hamilton revealed how he wants his former team to succeed

Despite leaving McLaren on a sour note back in 2012, Lewis Hamilton still has a soft spot for his former team. Speaking to Channel 4, the seven-time world champion revealed how he continues to check McLaren's progress and silently wants them to succeed in F1, even though he understands that they are Mercedes' competitors.

Hamilton said:

"I like looking at McLaren, I always check where they are because that was where I started and I'm always wishing them well even though they're competitors of mine. There will be days where they're down and I feel sad for them because, again, that's where I first did my simulation rounds, drove my car for the first time. I kind of want them to do well, so I hope they have a better year next year."

McLaren was where Lewis Hamilton won his first world championship in 2008, along with several podiums and race wins.