When comparing Formula 1’s two seven-time World Champions, Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, Williams team principal James Vowles is unequivocal: Hamilton stands out as the more skilful driver. This assessment comes from someone who has worked closely with both legends over many years.
Starting his F1 career in 2001 with British American Racing, Vowles remained through the team’s transitions to Honda, Brawn, and eventually Mercedes. As Mercedes’ chief strategist, he had a front-row view of both Hamilton’s and Schumacher’s driving prowess.
In a recent High Performance Podcast episode, Vowles highlighted Hamilton’s natural talent and driving style, placing him above Schumacher in terms of raw skill behind the wheel.
Insights into Hamilton’s approach and natural talent
Vowles explained that while Schumacher was exceptional at maximising every millisecond from himself and his team, Hamilton possessed an extraordinary amount of innate talent that set him apart. Hamilton’s ability to interact with his car during practice sessions is a key example.
When you go out in FP1, he’s like an octopus all over the wheel. He’ll change every setting on the wheel, near enough, and explore it. But it’s what makes him incredible.
—James Vowles, Williams team principal
One example described by Vowles involved a simulation in Brazil where the instructions were to hold seventh gear uphill. While Nico Rosberg followed the data, Hamilton quickly sensed it was inefficient, switched to sixth gear, and gained a tenth of a second per lap. This demonstrated his exceptional feel for the car beyond raw data.
Hamilton’s willingness to push boundaries initially led to some errors, like running wide on Turn 1, but his maturity over time improved.
And one of our biggest frustrations with him was that out of 20 laps, he did one. Like, come on — you’ve got to do more than that.
—James Vowles, Williams team principal
Actually, if you look at the maturity Lewis had between 2013 to now, you’ll see he completes every lap,
Vowles noted, emphasizing Hamilton’s evolution towards consistency without sacrificing the learning process.
Technical mastery and its challenges in Hamilton’s style
Hamilton’s perfectionism, especially under braking, was a hallmark of his driving. He carefully maximised braking zones, learned the car’s limits, and then settled into the race rhythm. However, such an adaptive style presented challenges for the engineering team.
Often, [Hamilton] would change the car so quickly that you’d lose yourself,
Vowles said. Engineers found it hard when the driver adjusted mechanical and aerodynamic balance frequently, as data and track conditions shifted rapidly.
This constant tweaking could sometimes cause Hamilton to fall behind temporarily. Yet, once he reverted to a known setup, he often recovered swiftly.
But he’s able to do that, and many drivers aren’t. He’s able to explore often and accept that he’ll have a whole session perhaps in the wrong place on setup. But he’s learning from it. And that’s Lewis all over.
—James Vowles, Williams team principal
The lasting importance of Hamilton’s skills in Formula 1
James Vowles’ observations shed light on why Lewis Hamilton’s talent is considered unmatched in Formula 1 history. His combination of natural skill, relentless exploration of car settings, and development of consistency has set new standards in the sport. Hamilton’s ability to extract performance beyond pure data positions him uniquely among seven-time World Champions.
This perspective not only adds to the ongoing debate comparing Hamilton and Schumacher but also highlights why Hamilton remains a dominant force in F1 as the sport advances into new seasons.