Hill on Mercedes: "They need a wake-up call"

Damon Hill has defended Lewis Hamilton's statements. The former world champion tells Sky Sports that Hamilton's public criticism of Mercedes' performance could actually yield positive results.

Constructive criticism from Hamilton?

After a shaky start, Mercedes managed to rejoin the lead teams during 2022. However, by the opening race of 2023, there was no sign of that improvement, and Mercedes seemed to have dropped even further back than a year earlier. The disappointing performance caused Hamilton to start criticising the car's design quite publicly. Hamilton commented that his input was not listened to by the team.

Hamilton's criticism is certainly not in line with the 'We win together, we lose together' attitude that Hamilton and Mercedes have always adopted in the past. Still, according to Hill, it is sometimes necessary for both sides to voice this kind of criticism publicly. " There has been a lot of refocusing and trying to bolster support and faith within the team," Hill analyses. "Hamilton does need to say these things. He has to make it clear he won't stay forever if they don't improve. Mercedes know the deal, they have to produce a better car than the one they started the season with."

'They need a wake-up call'

According to Hill, publicly voicing this kind of criticism can sometimes actually have better results for individual drivers, even if it does not look good for the team. "  I think he just wants a reaction," Hill explains. "He wants to shake the tree a little bit. They need to have a wake-up call which they've had. I remember in my career saying a few things about a Japanese engine that I was using at the time. I was told off by my team boss that I was not supposed to criticise the team publicly. But I tell you what, I got a better engine later."