Despite Mercedes’ slow start to the 2022 Formula 1 season, Damon Hill still believes Lewis Hamilton can go for the F1 title this year, ignoring the fact George Russell thus far has been quicker and is perhaps not just a ‘wingman’.

After an intense battle with Max Verstappen and the loss of an eighth title, Lewis Hamilton was not expecting to have such a difficult start to the season. Indeed, the Mercedes AMG F1 team has not yet succeeded in producing a car capable of winning. But so Lewis Hamiltons’ team mate, George Russell, seems to have the upper hand in the team at present, with a consistent set of results and the ability to hussle the car further up the grid, at least in Jeddah.

The team seems to be very far from Ferrari and Red Bull, evidenced by the results of Lewis Hamilton at the beginning of the season who, after a miraculous third place in Bahrain, had to be satisfied with the 10th place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Despite this, Damon Hill refuses to dismiss the seven-time World Champion in the title race.

Damon Hill believes in Hamilton’s title

“I don’t see why he can’t. Of course, he’s got a long way to go.” says Hill,

“His odds are very high at the moment, so it might be worth putting a little something on Lewis. As I mentioned before, it will be a long battle.

“We’ll have forgotten about these early races by the time we get to the halfway point of the season. If you have to manage a battle at the front without having a dominant team, then it’s very complicated to get ahead.

“That’s why I think it’s likely that Mercedes will eventually get into the fight. And let’s not forget George Russell. He’s doing a very good job and could also take points away from the others,” said the 1996 World Champion.