Hamilton slams ex-Formula 1 drivers for 'talking smack' and lacking 'empathy'
Photo: RacePictures
Kieran is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs and feature content across the F1 calendar. An NQJ-qualified journalist with more than a decade of experience, he has previously written for publications including MailOnline, the Manchester Evening News and the Eastern Daily Press.
Lewis Hamilton has criticised the treatment of Formula 1’s younger drivers, accusing former drivers of 'talking smack' and forgetting about the challenges they once faced themselves.
The seven-time world champion's comments come after Kimi Antonelli's maiden world title, becoming the youngest Formula 1 champion of all time. Antonelli is just one of a talented group of young drivers on the grid including Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Bearman and Arvid Lindblad.
Asked whether watching Antonelli win his first title made him reflect on his own career, Hamilton said that he was proud of the new generation of F1 drivers, as he hit out at former drivers for being too critical on the youngsters.
He told the media including GPblog: "I'm proud to see young drivers coming through. I always see a lot of these ex-Formula 1 drivers just talking smack about young people all the time. And even though they have gone through something similar, just having no empathy. And I always wanted to make sure that I would not be that type of driver."
Hamilton also praised the resiliency of the young drivers on the grid. He said: "Of course, we're very, privileged as as racing drivers, but there are massive challenges to to arrive and keep your head up and keep failing and getting back up, and they're all doing that with with real humility and grace."
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Ferrari's handling of Hamilton and Leclerc comes under fresh fire
Meanwhile, ex-Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has questioned his former team for their handling of the rivalry between their drivers Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
The Brazilian believes Ferrari should establish clearer rules for its drivers, drawing on his experience alongside Kimi Räikkönen during the Scuderia's last championship-winning era.
Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, he said: "This year in Ferrari is not really right, with this relationship with the drivers. They want to show who is the number one driver. But I think these things happen when the team is not hundred percent right, when the car, the team, I mean, the result is not coming what it has to be."
"We had situations in Ferrari that it worked really well in the past. When it was me and Kimi, which was the last title for Ferrari. We had rules that 'you are free to fight, to race, for sure, respecting the team, not crashing each other, but you are free to fight until the race in Spa."'
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