Qualifying for the Las Vegas Grand Prix is coming up soon, with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes among the favorites.
That is to say, in the editorial team we consider him one of the candidates, but his former teammate and fellow world champion sees the issue completely differently. Jenson Button believes that Hamilton is simply too old and slow for qualifying. It's a harsh statement, but it's not without foundation! So far, only one person, and on only one occasion, has managed to beat the seven-time champion in qualifying, and that person was Nico Rosberg. In 2014, the total was 12-7 in Rosberg's favor, but this season, Hamilton, who will be driving for Ferrari next year, is taking a much harsher beating from George Russell:
“Lewis is almost 40, perhaps that's why he's regressed in the standings. No matter how high his performance, no matter how good his reflexes, he can no longer compete with the younger guys. He's too old for this, he can't maintain the pace over a single lap, and he probably has a hard time accepting that his opponents are not only faster and fresher, but also more consistent,” Button said with brutal sincerity about his former rival.
Has he really gotten old? It'll soon become clear...
