Damon Hill: Hamilton Will Win at Anything He Does

Damon Hill has heaped praise on Lewis Hamilton for his dramatic turnaround in form with Ferrari this season. The 1996 world champion believes Hamilton is using his 'power' and reputation to bring the Italian team back to winning ways.

Last year, Hamilton endured a torrid start to his Ferrari career, struggling for consistency and failing to score a single podium all season. He finished sixth in the standings, 96 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc. This year, however, his performance has been transformed. A dominant win in Barcelona and four other podiums have lifted him to second in the standings heading into the summer break.

"Cream always rises to the top, doesn't it?" Hill told F1.com. "He's going to win at anything he does. I don't think it sits easily with him to back off. He's been working hard over the winter, clearly, and he's worked on how he wants the Ferrari to be for him."

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Hill added that Ferrari signed Hamilton for big money, and the 41-year-old is using his position. "He's saying, 'Okay, I'm not going to just sit here and do what you do. I'm going to tell you what I do, and you're going to make it suit me.' The power he has, the reputation he has, he's putting to work to protect himself. He's right to do that," Hill explained.

Despite looking more comfortable on track, Hamilton has had a run of disappointing results in the last two rounds before the break. He received four penalties over the last three race weekends, including two at the Hungarian Grand Prix. A five-second penalty for a false start at Silverstone and another for causing a first-lap collision with George Russell at Spa followed.

Hamilton admitted the penalties were down to his own mistakes. "I have to accept that I've made mistakes in the last three races that have cost me a lot of points," he said after Hungary. "I just need to take this time to reflect and sort my head out so I can come back and be a bit stronger."