Lewis Hamilton showed more “relief” when Mercedes won the Constructors’ title than he did following his own Drivers’ crown, according to team boss Toto Wolff.
The Briton had been in a comfortable position in the race for a fifth title with the race in Mexico more a confirmation of his achievement than anything else.
In the teams’ battle though it was a little closer with Ferrari able to push Mercedes onto Brazil before a fifth consecutive double championship success was sealed.
“I feel he’s just so embedded in the team and integrated that the Drivers’ title felt incomplete, which for a driver is really strange because they are calibrated on the Drivers’ title,” Wolff claimed.
“He said it felt incomplete and that we needed to seal the teams’ title.
“When you look at his face, that was almost more relief and happiness about sealing the Constructors’ title than the first one.
“And that’s why he just didn’t take his foot off the throttle until the very end, and that is somehow a new Lewis also.”
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In fact, Wolff believes that rather the dip Hamilton is known to have when a championship is secure, in 2018, it was the opposite.
“He’s actually driven stronger after winning the Drivers’ title,” the Austrian believes.