Lewis Hamilton ‘Problem’ Highlighted in George Russell Comparison

 Lewis Hamilton ‘Problem’ Highlighted in George Russell Comparison

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Former Formula 1 driver Thierry Boutsen has drawn a comparison between Lewis Hamilton’s struggles during his first season with Ferrari and George Russell’s recent difficulties at Mercedes, suggesting that both drivers have faced similar challenges involving confidence and car performance.

Hamilton has enjoyed a significant improvement in form during the 2026 Formula 1 season. The seven-time world champion has claimed a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix and several podium finishes, results that have helped place him second in the drivers’ championship at the summer break.

That represents a major turnaround from Hamilton’s maiden Ferrari campaign in 2025, when the Briton experienced a difficult season and regularly struggled to match expectations.

Meanwhile, Russell has encountered his own problems at Mercedes during the 2026 season, with his title ambitions coming under pressure.

According to Boutsen, the situations experienced by Hamilton and Russell share similarities.

“Lewis is Lewis, and he deserves to be on top. He’s been on top all his life, and then he suffered last year,” Boutsen said.

“Lewis had the same problem as George last year… self-confidence, the car not going very well, and the addition of all these details made it look bad, very bad, but Lewis is still Lewis.”

Boutsen believes Hamilton’s improved performances demonstrate what the seven-time champion can achieve when he has a competitive car underneath him.

“As soon as the car gets better, he makes it, and he won the race in Barcelona. I was very happy for him,” he added.

The former Benetton and Williams driver also backed Russell to emerge stronger from his current difficulties. He argued that periods of adversity can provide drivers with valuable opportunities to examine their weaknesses and improve.

Boutsen referenced the famous philosophy of three-time world champion Niki Lauda, saying: “Niki Lauda said that you never learn anything from winning.”

“You learn a lot when you lose, because there’s a lot of things that you need to improve, so you work and work and work to improve. Sometimes winning is not [possible].”

The Belgian explained that drivers must be willing to assess both their own performance and the problems surrounding their teams when results do not go their way.

“Then it’s time to think about what happened, analyse yourself, analyse the problems of the car, analyse the problems with the team, the relationship with the team. It’s very complex,” Boutsen said.

“Once you get over that, you win again. You can’t win all the time – there are too many people around you for that!”

Boutsen’s comments underline the contrasting trajectories of Hamilton and Russell. While Hamilton has recovered strongly from a difficult 2025 campaign, Russell is currently experiencing a period in which results have not matched his ambitions.

For Hamilton, the focus now turns to maintaining his improved form and challenging for further victories during the second half of the 2026 season. For Russell, the challenge will be to use his current difficulties as motivation to regain momentum in the championship fight.

Analysis: Lewis Hamilton’s “Problem” Shows Why Confidence and Car Performance Matter in F1

Thierry Boutsen’s comparison between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell offers an interesting perspective on the psychological side of Formula 1. While the two drivers are at very different stages of their careers, the former F1 winner believes they have experienced a remarkably similar problem: a combination of reduced confidence, an underperforming car and difficulties within the team.

Hamilton’s 2025 season with Ferrari provides the clearest example of how quickly expectations can change in Formula 1. After moving from Mercedes to Ferrari, the seven-time world champion faced significant difficulties adapting to his new environment and machinery. His struggles created questions about whether the 40-year-old could still consistently perform at the level that had defined his career.

That narrative has changed dramatically in 2026. Hamilton has looked much more competitive under the new regulations and has demonstrated that the difficulties of 2025 were not necessarily evidence of a decline in his ability. His victory at the Spanish Grand Prix was particularly significant because it was his first victory for Ferrari and his first Formula 1 win since 2024. He also finished ahead of George Russell in Barcelona, underlining the contrast between their current trajectories. 

Boutsen’s central argument is therefore important: the performance of an F1 driver cannot be separated from the machinery underneath them.

“Lewis had the same problem as George last year… self-confidence, the car not going very well,” Boutsen said. 

The comment should not necessarily be interpreted as saying that Hamilton or Russell suddenly became poor drivers. Instead, it highlights how difficult it can be for even elite drivers to maintain confidence when their cars fail to deliver the performance they expect.

For Hamilton, the Ferrari situation appears to have been particularly complicated because of the enormous expectations surrounding his move. Ferrari is one of the biggest teams in Formula 1, and Hamilton arrived with the reputation of a seven-time world champion. Every difficult qualifying session, race result or strategic mistake consequently attracted enormous attention.

His improved 2026 campaign suggests that confidence can return quickly when a driver begins to feel comfortable with the car. Hamilton’s Barcelona victory is a strong example. Ferrari had a package capable of fighting at the front, and Hamilton converted that opportunity into a victory. Formula 1 itself described the performance as his maiden Ferrari Grand Prix victory.

Russell’s situation is arguably more complicated. Unlike Hamilton, he is not trying to adapt to a completely new team. He has been established at Mercedes and has demonstrated his ability to win races and compete at the front. His challenge is instead to turn that potential into sustained championship success.

The comparison with Hamilton suggests that Russell’s current difficulties should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that he lacks the ability to become a world champion.

Boutsen believes adversity can actually help a driver develop. Referring to the philosophy of three-time world champion Niki Lauda, he said: “You learn a lot when you lose.”

That is arguably the most important element of Boutsen’s assessment. Formula 1 drivers spend much of their careers under pressure to win, but losing provides information that victory sometimes hides. A difficult period can force a driver to examine qualifying performances, race management, communication with engineers, setup choices and relationships within the team.

Boutsen also emphasized the importance of analysing the entire situation rather than simply blaming the driver. “Analyse yourself, analyse the problems of the car, analyse the problems with the team, the relationship with the team. It’s very complex,” he said. 

That point is particularly relevant to Russell because Mercedes remains central to his championship ambitions. If the car is not consistently capable of fighting at the front, there is only so much the driver can accomplish. At the same time, Russell must ensure that he takes advantage of every opportunity when the machinery is competitive.

Interestingly, the Barcelona Grand Prix demonstrated both sides of the comparison. Hamilton won for Ferrari while Russell finished second for Mercedes, showing that both drivers remained capable of producing elite performances when their cars allowed them to do so.

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Ultimately, Boutsen’s comments are less an indictment of Hamilton or Russell than an explanation of how fragile performance can be at the highest level of motorsport. Hamilton’s resurgence has shown that a difficult season does not necessarily signal the end of a champion’s competitiveness. Russell now has the opportunity to demonstrate the same resilience.

With the 2026 season entering its second half, the biggest question is whether Hamilton can maintain his momentum and turn his improved Ferrari form into a genuine championship challenge, while Russell attempts to recover from his own difficult spell. If Boutsen is correct, Russell’s current struggles may eventually become an important part of his development rather than a defining weakness.

In Formula 1, confidence can disappear quickly...but, as Hamilton’s turnaround demonstrates, it can return just as quickly when the driver finally has the car capable of matching his ambitions.

Source: RacingNews365