When asked about Lewis Hamilton’s best Mercedes moment, technical director James Allison gives an unusual answer: fourth place in Hungary 2017
During Lewis Hamilton’s time with Mercedes, there have been many moments that the team remembers fondly. With six driver and eight constructor titles, as well as a multitude of victories and pole positions, it is difficult to single out one in particular.
“It’s a tough choice because there was a wide range of experiences over these seasons,” says technical director James Allison, who did not experience all of Hamilton’s successes first hand. The Brit only joined the team from Ferrari in 2017, after Nico Rosberg had already ended his career.
Nevertheless, he witnessed four drivers’ titles with Hamilton, but his favorite moment is a completely different one, as he recounts in a team video. His favorite moment with Hamilton has nothing to do with a title win or a victory for the record world champion.
Instead, Allison cites the race in Hungary in 2017, where Hamilton only came in fourth behind the two Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen and his team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
Because there Hamilton had shown himself to be a great team player. Actually, he was behind Bottas at the time, behind whom he had also qualified, but was once again allowed to pass by the Finn to go after the leading Ferraris.
“But he didn’t make the progress we had hoped for,” says Allison. Because he couldn’t get close to Ferrari again. “But he then kept his promise that he would give Valtteri the seat back if he got the chance to fight the Ferraris and didn’t make it.”
To the surprise of many, Hamilton slowed down in the last corner of the race and let Bottas pass again, even though he was in a close championship fight with Ferrari.
The maneuver was further complicated by Max Verstappen lurking behind Bottas, who ultimately crossed the finish line just 0.4 seconds behind Hamilton in fifth place. “It was extremely difficult to execute that cleanly,” says Allison. “And Lewis managed it, and with real class.”
“I think that showed the essential fairness that defines Lewis’s character, right next to this fierce competitor that we all admire so much.”