Eddie Jordan: Lewis Hamilton is already an F1 legend

Dubai: Former F1 constructor Eddie Jordan is convinced that no driver will ever emulate the achievements of reigning six-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, even if the Briton doesn’t win anything more.

Hamilton clinched his sixth F1 drivers’ championships following his second-place finish in Austin, Texas earlier this month to stay one title short of German legend Michael Legend.

Jordan, who had been instrumental along with Austrian three-time world champion Niki Lauda in easing Hamilton into the Mercedes set-up from McLaren, is convinced the 34-year-old six-time world champion is already among the legends of the sport. “A lot of people thought Lewis could have won the title a little earlier in the season. Often it was important during this season for him to just do the right things at the right time, and I think the way things worked for him with his second place in Austin, has been perfect for him,” Jordan told Gulf News in a chat on the sidelines of last week’s Dubai International Motor Show.

“He needed to get this one [sixth world title] out of the way so that he can now think about next season and possibly winning a seventh title. He is in a good space no doubt. Probably he may not win the last two races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, but he is a very determined young man who would want to show people that he’s still got all of the speed and all of the excitement that people are coming out to see.

“Honestly, he doesn’t need to get much better. He just needs to continue because there is nobody really out there to challenge him. That’s why I believe that at the moment he is the best driver that has been in F1 while winning the way he’s done.

“Perhaps, he took his eye off the ball against Nico Rosberg. Nico is a clever one as he decided to retire as he would have never won another championship if Lewis continued the way he has just done. Having said that Lewis is in his own realm. He can dominate the way he wants.”

Starting 2021, F1 has envisaged a radical shift in the sport with better-looking cars, fairer finances between teams and a revised schedule at race weekends in an attempt to make the sport more dynamic while sustaining it for the future. Not only will the new cars have a radical new design philosophy and striking new look, but teams will have to adhere to spending restrictions to make the sport more sustainable and fairer between teams.

However, Jordan is not too convinced of the merits of these new rules. “It is a strange phenomenon,” he said. “I think great drivers attract great teams. It’s as simple as that. I don’t know why that is, but that’s a fact of life in F1 in most cases. I wouldn’t worry too much about the regulations going forward. I still believe that the really good drivers will always wind up making their own good cars as quick as possible.

“Lewis will have a good car, Verstappen will have one too, Leclerc will also have a good car. As long as he is around, Lewis is not going to wait to be beaten by a whole load of people as he already has a lot of load of things he wants to achieve in his mind on his bucket list. Whether its rock and roll, whether its music or whether its being at home with the family in the UK or LA where he has been a record producer, Lewis is more than capable of doing and achieving all of this.”