Formula One legend Niki Lauda told McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton to learn from teammate Jenson Button if he wanted to be crowned world champion again.
Hamilton not only faced a third season without winning the title after a crash-laden campaign, but he could also lose out to a teammate for the first time in his F1 career.
Hamilton was bettered by a teammate over a season, but Button went ahead of him in the rankings by finishing third in the Belgium Grand Prix.
With seven rounds remaining, the 26-year-old is fifth in the championship, one behind Button.
“Lewis could learn a lot from Button. Lewis outqualifies Jenson and is the quicker driver, but in Belgium it was Jenson who finished third while Hamilton crashed out again,” the Daily Express quoted Lauda, as saying.
“You can’t win championships if you are crashing. Look at Sebastian Vettel, he is not making any mistakes or crashing, and that is why he is going to win the title again this year. You can argue he has the quicker car, but just look at Jenson and Lewis. They have the same car, but it is Button who is leading him in the championship.”
“That is because he is getting the car home and scoring points. It is very frustrating because Lewis is one of the top three best drivers in F1. There is no question about that,” he added.
Lauda further reckoned Hamilton was ‘overdoing it’ and he just needed to come back a fraction.
“If you’re not scoring points, then you’re not going to win championships,” he said.
