One of Mercedes' most respected engineers spoke to the New York Times about how the seven-time world champion became so successful.
Andrew Shovlin claims that it was not work ethic, obsession, or desire to improve that played a key role, but rather a morbid phobia of defeat!
“I don’t think there’s another driver like him. He has a completely unique perspective, I really enjoyed working with him. He’s extremely dedicated to success and demands the same from others. But what really makes him great, his real superpower, is his almost pathological phobia of defeat. He’s terribly afraid of it, and therefore he does everything he can to avoid it, constantly influencing people around him to avoid it. I don’t know of another driver who has this mentality so strongly present. Obviously, everyone hates defeat, but the fear and desire to do anything to avoid it puts Lewis Hamilton far above the rest,” Shovlin said appreciatively of his former driver.
What do you think, will Lewis Hamilton strengthen/weaken this phobia at Scuderia Ferrari?
