© LAT Photographic for Williams F1
1996 world champion Damon Hill says he can no longer say he has beaten the best Formula 1 driver, since Lewis Hamilton took the title off Michael Schumacher.
After Lewis Hamilton spectacularly broke the all-time record for most Formula 1 wins at the Portuguese Grand Prix, his countryman Damon Hill took to social media to voice his astonishment.
“Well I guess I can’t say I’ve beaten the best driver in F1 anymore,” wrote Hill alluding to his rivalry with Michael Schumacher.
“I had a good run though. Thanks [Michael Schumacher] and welcome [Lewis Hamilton]. GOAT.”
Hill expanded his thoughts on Hamilton’s accomplishment on BBC Breakfast.
“It’s amazing as for a long time we all thought Michael was unassailable,” said the Briton.
“But he’s chipped away and it’s unbelievable. Just doing 92 Grand Prix is hard enough, let alone winning them.
“His talent is supreme. There’s not a single racing driver who has not looked enviously at Lewis Hamilton’s abilities and thought ‘what must it be like to be that brilliant’?
“Max Verstappen who is still in his early 20s must breathe a deep sigh. He’s realising he might have to go on until he’s 40, because if Lewis does the records will be so far out of reach that everyone will be racing in their fifties to try and break it.
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“It’s like Alexander the Great, no worlds left to conquer. He’s got to tie up the title first and he looks on course for that, a couple more races and he should bag the title.
“After that it’s just carry on as long as you enjoy it.”
Hill also touched on Hamilton’s future retirement, saying “eventually the sharpness does go”.
“My dad [two-time F1 champion Graham Hill] stopped when he was 45 and people said ‘you’re going on too long’.
“Eventually the sharpness does go and you want to go out when people still see how brilliant you are, not tugging around trying to recover lost glories.
“But I’m sure Lewis will know when that time is. Sometimes he’s said a few things which have come out wrong and people are maybe not sure where he’s coming from sometimes. But he’s honestly a nice guy.
“It’s difficult when you win all the time. People like entertainment and I think it’s very difficult to entertain people when you are out in front the whole time.
“But he’s entertained us as drivers,” concluded the 1996 champion.
