Hamilton: I don't like sharing my data with my teammate

Triple Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed that sharing data with his teammate is one of the things he detests about driving for Mercedes, and believes if a driver cannot figure his way around a track then he should not be racing at the pinnacle of the sport.

Hamilton said in an interview, “I go out, do my laps, do all my homework, [and] the other guy can see everything. I have asked my team. I don’t want to see my teammate’s. I don’t feel it’s fair that he brings his A-game and I should be able to study his A-game on a computer."

“For example, when we’re driving we’re picking out braking points, bumps, tyre rubber marks on the track, all these different things to help get you through the corner quickest. And the other driver probably naturally may be able to do more or less than you are."

“But because of this data they can just copy you. Oh, he’s braking five metres later there, I’ll go out and I’ll try braking five metres later. So that’s what I really dislike, because it enables them to get closer.

“That’s what I loved about go-karting; you weren’t able to do that and that was where just your raw talent is able to shine.”

Hamilton spent four years as teammate to Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, winning two world titles in the process while the German netted one last season. This year Valtteri Bottas has joined the team, replacing Rosberg who retired.

The Briton added, “I think it should be you hired me because I am the best, because I’ve studied, because I’ve won every class that I’ve been in, I’ve not missed one in terms of winning and you’re hiring whoever the next person is because they’ve hopefully won some things along the way as well and you’re hiring them for their ultimate skill all round."

“They should be able to go out there on their own and find it all themselves, without you. You could take a young kid from Formula 3, have them just go on a simulator and drive every single day and try and get to my lines. And eventually they’d probably get to my lines."

“He should have to discover that himself. You’ve got to find the limit yourself, that’s the whole challenge of being a racing driver."

“When I get in this new car, it’s seeing what the limit of it is. And if I can’t do it on my own, then I’m not good enough and I don’t deserve to be there. And there are some drivers that don’t,” opined Hamilton who starts the 2017 F1 season as the man to beat, hunting his fourth world title.