Former Formula 1 driver Mark Webber says Lewis Hamilton is a “more complete” driver than Michael Schumacher.
With five championships in the past six years, plus his sole McLaren triumph in 2008, the Briton heads into this season on the verge of matching the German’s record tally of seven F1 titles.
And while there are those who point to the dominance of Mercedes and feel Hamilton was less involved in getting them to where they are than Schumacher was at Ferrari, Webber is adamant he’ll be considered an all-time great.
“Absolutely, no question about it,” he told SpeedCafe.
And as for comparing the two drivers directly, the Australian thinks a lack of politics around Hamilton puts him ahead of Schumacher.
“I think he’s more complete than Michael,” Webber continued.
Also Read:
- Brawn: Hamilton’s seventh F1 title ‘won’t be because of luck’
- Hamilton unaffected by being the ‘target’ of his F1 rivals
- Alonso: Hamilton character ‘different’ to Schumacher & wouldn’t work at a normal team
“I think he went about those results in a technically cleaner executed way, just by the way of wheel-to-wheel combat and no real trickery in his contracts with the other drivers.
“I think he’s certainly up there. I mean, obviously Alain Prost, where do you go with the [Niki] Lauda’s, the [Jackie] Stewart’s, or [Ayrton] Senna?
“Clearly Michael is absolutely in there, he’s got all the records in terms of championships and race victories, but I’m confident that Lewis can give those a red hot go.”
Like many great sportsmen, Hamilton also divides opinion with those who adore him and others who, let’s say, don’t, and Webber opened up on his own relationship with the 35-year-old.
“I personally get on with him well,” he said. “I don’t have any issues with Lewis, but it’s not something for everyone.
“But on the track he is Nadal and Federer-like. He just executes, and he does it in a way that is very, very clinical.
“He doesn’t go to the stewards often; when was the last time he was done for speeding in the pit lane?
“He’s got so much mind management and composure. He’s an extraordinary, extraordinary talent now, and he keeps reinventing himself, so deserves everything.”