Mercedes: Hamilton still has 'compulsive need to win' despite drought

Lewis Hamilton still has a "compulsive need to win" in Formula 1, despite it being over two years since his last Grand Prix victory, Mercedes has argued.

Hamilton's last victory came in the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, 46 races ago with the Briton losing his record of a win in every season he had competed in during 2022, and failed to add a 104th career win last season, although he did claim a first pole since that Jeddah race in Hungary.

The seven-time champion still harbours hopes of an eighth World Championship, with boss Toto Wolff firm that Mercedes "owe" it to Hamilton to break the record he holds with Michael Schumacher.

Mercedes is hoping that its 2024 W15 machine will be good enough to close the gap to Red Bull and allow a return to winning and title-challenging ways, with Technical Director James Allison insisting that Hamilton is continuing to operate at as high a level as ever, despite the lack of competitveness.

Hamilton's burning desire to win

"I think you would struggle to find a driver anywhere in the grid that wasn't motivated," Allison explained, as quoted by Motorsport.com.

"I think that sort of comes with the territory, and generally speaking, the more successful the driver has been, the more sort of inescapable that compulsive need to win is.

“In Lewis's case, it's just a core part of who he is, so there's no doubt about his motivation to get back to winning ways.

"But whether or not he can do that, will be much more in the hands of the equipment we've given him than in his own hands. He's always had that ability there."

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