Hill takes on Hamilton: 'What’s he supposed to do?

Mercedes was not competitive at the Grand Prix weekend in Japan. The German constructor was a second behind polesitter Max Verstappen in qualifying and on Sunday a place on the podium was far out of reach. Lewis Hamilton was clearly frustrated after the GP weekend in Japan and, according to world champion Damon Hill, the Briton has every right to be.

Mercedes lacks speed in Japan

Mercedes' W14 did not have the same speed in Japan as in Singapore. Indeed, in the city-state, the German marque was still competing for both pole position and victory, but in Japan, Hamilton and teammate George Russell had no chance. Despite his car not having great speed, the seven-time world champion did give everything according to Hill.

"He’s been saying all weekend that the car is on a knife-edge, he’s exhausted, it’s difficult to drive, he gave it everything. What’s he supposed to do? Stay behind George on a set of tyres that are struggling? He’s done his job and worked hard to get where he is," the former F1 driver told Sky Sports.

'Hamilton has a right to be frustrated'

Hamilton was clearly frustrated after Sunday's Grand Prix, stating that the car felt the same as last year. "He's a racing driver and wants the best results for him. This business of playing lip service to the team, of course, they need the team, but at the end of the day it's instinct and he's a racer," Hill continued.

"Hamilton is perfectly entitled to be frustrated. He’s had to push the team to give up on these zero side pods. The fact that he had to push for that? And stamp his feet? He got them to change direction but it’s late in the day. He’s not a designer. Up against a Cambridge-qualified engineer and designer, you can’t argue as a driver! But there’s something in you that tells you: ‘Everyone else is going that way, we’re going this way, but we’re not getting results’. The competitive instinct in Lewis tells him that he’s got to communicate it to the team. He could be wrong! It could be embarrassing if you drag the team in the wrong direction," Hill concluded.