Former GP winner Watson: 'Lewis gets disillusioned'

Lewis Hamilton's dramatically bad season continues to occupy minds. With his Mercedes, he is temporarily condemned to a place in the middle of the pack. It already seems that the Brit can put the world title out of his head.

For Hamilton, it will undoubtedly take some getting used to. Every season he has been in Formula 1, he has won at least one race. This year may just change that. John Watscon, himself a five-time Grand Prix winner in the 1970s and 1980s, therefore sees something developing in Hamilton. "I can see Lewis getting disillusioned," says Watson in the Mail on Sunday. "The grind of being a Grand Prix driver becomes significantly harder when the car is not good. And for Lewis, given his age and the whippersnappers coming through, every year will be more and more difficult."

Earlier this week, Hamilton indicated via a statement on Instagram that he will decide for himself when the time is right for him to quit. In doing so, he debunked all rumors of a possible departure from Mercedes. Watson thinks that despite this, Hamilton is really thinking about retirement.

Reality

The former driver suspects that Hamilton is wondering if he has gone on a season too long. "I think he will take until Silverstone to see if he is back at the races and getting podiums. There is a lot to weigh up. His legacy is a major consideration. He wants to be an eight-time world champion, but he may now realise he will never achieve that. The dawning of that reality may just be coming into his mind."