Jenson Button notices something ‘different’ about Lewis Hamilton’s ‘character’
Jenson Button feels that Lewis Hamilton is "different" than when they were teammates.
Jenson Button has observed that Lewis Hamilton is a “different character” than he was when the two men were teammates.
And the thing that’s making it worse? Being outshined by his teammate.
What’s “different” about Lewis Hamilton, per Button
It’s been over a decade since British racers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were teammates at McLaren, but much has changed since then.
Button has retired, instead going on to compete occasionally in NASCAR and endurance racing events, while Hamilton remained in Formula 1 to take a record-matching seven World Championships.
During their three years as teammates, Button certainly got to know Hamilton — including how he handles both success and failure. And according to Button, the Hamilton currently on the grid cuts a much different figure to the Hamilton of the past.
More on Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari:
👉 Four big reasons why Lewis Hamilton ditched Mercedes for Ferrari
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After qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix, Sky Sports F1 pundit and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button opened up on just how much Hamilton has changed over the years.
“Lewis is a different character now than he was when we were teammates,” Button said.
“If he was deflated, the next day he was out and on it and super fast.
“Now, he’s much more of a calm personality, he’s much more of a rounded character.”
While a calmer and more relaxed mindset might be a benefit for a different driver, Button feels that it’s actually become harmful for Hamilton.
“I think it is starting to hurt him a little bit, constantly being slower than his teammate,” he said. “That’s not how Lewis Hamilton is built. He’s a winner.”
But those wins have been hard to come by these past few years. Hamilton has struggled with the swap to ground effect cars; his two wins in 2024 were his first since the 2022 regulations came into effect, and he has been resoundingly outpaced by Charles Leclerc since the swap to Ferrari.
Will we see a resurgence of form? Hamilton hasn’t sounded confident — but with the right upgrades, anything could be possible.
Read next: Ferrari come to surprising conclusion in face of Hamilton and Leclerc frustration
