Mercedes explain loss of ‘phobia’ with Hamilton exit

Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has detailed how Lewis Hamilton's "phobia of losing" has been a driving force at the team during their 12-season association.

The 39-year-old has departed the Brackley squad, in order to embark on his next adventure in F1, with Ferrari.

Having joined from McLaren in 2013, he leaves behind a storied legacy and a prolific partnership, one that has produced eight constructors' championships and six drivers' titles, making it the most successful driver-team pairing in F1 history.

Shovlin outlines how Hamilton's endless pursuit of winning spurred Mercedes on through the period, helping lead it to the great heights they achieved together. 

When the 105-time grand prix winner's uniqueness was put to the 51-year-old, he told The New York Times of the British driver's fear of failure, something that drives his work ethic, and by extension, the team behind him.

"Well, there are no other drivers like him, so you could definitely say he is unique, from that point of view," Shovlin agrees.

"He's good fun to work with. He's committed to success, as we all are, and in a team, that's what you would ask of everybody.

"But Lewis has got his own, it's almost like a phobia of losing that drives his work ethic. And that's great, because when you get a driver who brings that to the team, they are endlessly pushing, endlessly wanting to improve. And it brings an awful lot of energy to the team."

'The work and the worry'

Whilst the final three seasons of his time at Mercedes was meagre by the seven-time F1 drivers' champion's high benchmark, producing just two victories, both of which came in their final campaign together, his influence on the team will remain.

To Shovlin, it is not only Hamilton's brilliance on the circuit, but also the impact he has off it, and his commitment to winning, that sets him apart. That, however, is something Mercedes will have to make do without moving forward.

"He's the only driver I can think of that I've work with where it manifests itself to such a degree," the Briton reveals. "No good drivers like losing, they all hate it. That's absolutely standard.

"It is the work and the worry that that triggers within Lewis that I think sets them aside from most others."