Wolff: F1 title defeat to Rosberg “annoyed” Hamilton, didn’t change him

Lewis Hamilton was “annoyed” by his 2016 Formula 1 title defeat to former teammate Nico Rosberg but it didn’t change his approach, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. 

Hamilton can equal Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven world titles at the first attempt at this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix, to claim his sixth championship in the last seven years. 

The only time Hamilton has failed to win the title while at Mercedes was in 2016 when Rosberg pipped him to his maiden championship by five points before sensationally retiring from the sport. 

But Wolff does not believe that Hamilton’s narrow defeat to Rosberg had any impact on his development or approach to racing. 

“I don’t think that played any role,” Wolff said.

“I think that annoyed him back at the time and I think he just moved on. I don’t think there was a particular thing to learn in that year. Nico was strong, Lewis had some DNFs leading races and at the end, it is what it is.”

Wolff says that Hamilton’s relentless quest for perfection and self-improvement is ultimately what makes him stand out from other drivers in the sport. 

“I think what I realised over the last years is his permanent self-analysis, how to get better, he has become really good at identifying points of weakness and then tackling them,” Wolff explained. 

“He has progressed over the years as a racing driver in the car and as a personality outside the car. And that is something that you see very rarely with people, that they are critical enough, while not beating themselves up, in order to progress. 

“Many others in Formula 1 and outside Formula 1, you’re not really good at identifying your own shortcomings and therefore you stagnate in your development and it’s a thinking pattern that with him simply doesn’t exist. He is constantly seeking perfection.”