“This is not Lewis at his prime": Former Red Bull driver questions whether 'underperforming' Lewis Hamilton can regain old magic

Former Red Bull driver David Coulthard has questioned whether Lewis Hamilton can regain the magic of his old self when he gets a strong car. Commenting on Hamilton's current form, Coulthard said that the driver was in a two-year state of underperforming.

Lewis Hamilton has not won a race since 2021, when he last fought for a title. This is the first time in his career that the Mercedes driver has not won a race for two consecutive years. Before the ground effect era, Hamilton had at least won a race every year he'd raced in F1. However, with the kind of dominance that Red Bull has had, he's been unable to replicate it this season.

Not only that, Max Verstappen's dominance has meant that Lewis Hamilton has not even had a chance to compete at the top of the grid. While the driver is still performing at a high level, his season was filled with many off weekends. David Coulthard wondered whether Hamilton will be able to regain his peak form if he was given a competitive car. On Channel 4, Coulthard said:

“This is not Lewis at his prime. This is Lewis in a very frustrating two-year state of underperforming. When he gets a winning car again, it’ll be really interesting to see if he can rediscover the old Lewis magic.”

Lewis Hamilton admits to questioning his abilities sometimes

In a very candid interview with The Race, Lewis Hamilton touched on how he does sometimes question himself and his abilities from time to time. Admitting to asking questions like "Is it me, or is it the car?", the seven-time World Champion said:

“Ultimately, when you have difficult seasons like this, there are always going to be moments when you’re like: ‘Is it me, or is it the car? Do you still have it? Has it gone? Because you’re missing that, you know… when the magic happens, when everything comes together, the car and you, and that spark, it’s extraordinary."

He added:

"And that’s what you’re in the search for. I’m only human. If anyone in the world tells you they don’t have those things, they’re in denial. We’re all human beings.”

Hamilton will be hoping for a better car in 2024 that is capable of taking the fight to Red Bull and Max Verstappen.