Former F1 driver: Did Hamilton never get over the shock of Abu Dhabi 2021?

(Motorsport-Total.com) - Former Formula 1 driver Robert Doornbos is convinced that age generally plays a role in motorsport. However, in Lewis Hamilton's case, he sees additional factors that could explain his slump in form .

"With Lewis, it's a different story. His fans won't like to hear this, but it almost seems as if he lost his identity at times," Doornbos told the Dutch edition of Motorsport.com , a sister publication of Motorsport-Total.com on the Motorsport Network.

According to the Dutchman, the seven-time world champion's current form crisis could also be a late consequence of the controversial title decision in the 2021 season. "In Abu Dhabi, he practically had his eighth title in his pocket. The fact that it didn't work out back then obviously hit him hard, and he never fully got over that blow," speculates Doornbos.

At the moment, Hamilton is no longer the driver who dominated Formula 1 for years, even mentally. "Everyone can see that. Perhaps age also plays a role when you have to muster the energy for another long season," Doornbos said. "I hope he recovers during the summer break and comes back stronger. But at some point, you reach the point where you're past your prime."

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Doornbos doesn't believe that Hamilton has forgotten how to be a racing driver. "It can't be that he suddenly has no talent anymore. That doesn't make sense." Age is generally a "sensitive" topic in elite sports. But "LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Alonso – these are names at the absolute top level who are still delivering well into their 40s," Doornbos says.

Therefore, it is now crucial for Ferrari to mentally rebuild Hamilton to overcome his current form slump. "I saw what Frederic Vasseur was like at Mercedes. Perhaps Ferrari should consider bringing in Hamilton's old engineering team or trusted people from his Mercedes days to give him back the confidence he needs," Doornbos said.