Guenther Steiner defends ‘classy’ Lewis Hamilton after ‘jumbo jet’ ego accusation

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Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton is arguably the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time. The statistics certainly land in his favour.

Hamilton has won 105 Grands Prix, amassed 104 pole positions and scored 201 podiums – three all-time records. Only Michael Schumacher has won as many world championships (seven).

During an interview earlier this year, Hamilton stopped short of calling himself the ‘GOAT’. But he said confidently ‘I know what I am’.

This mentality is typical of elite-level athletes. In Formula 1, most of the drivers, if not all, believe they would be world champion in the right car.

But speaking to Sport1 in 2022, former F1 driver Christian Danner suggested Hamilton’s ‘ego’ had grown too large. He even commented that he’d require a ‘jumbo jet’ to bring it to the race track.

“Lewis Hamilton usually lets his ego fly in with the jumbo jet and George Russell is more of a chatterbox who approaches the matter impartially,” Danner said. “I find it very exciting to have these two in one team.”

Guenther Steiner insists Lewis Hamilton is ‘exemplary’ after Christian Danner called him arrogant

Writing in his book, Unfiltered, Guenther Steiner responded to this claim. He’s close with Danner but he strongly disagrees with his view of Hamilton.

Having seen the 39-year-old up close in the Formula 1 paddock, the former Haas team principal shared a very different impression. He regards Hamilton as a ‘sophisticated’ and respectful figure.

While he may have ‘famous friends’ – Neymar sent a message to Hamilton after he drove Ayrton Senna’s old McLaren car in Brazil – and a fashion line, he remains appropriately humble. Steiner feels those off-track interests shouldn’t be allowed to distort his image.

“I recently read an interview with the former F1 driver Christian Danner, who is a good friend of mine, in which he said that Lewis had to have his ego flown in a jumbo jet,” Steiner wrote. “In my experience that has never been the case.

“Lewis has got all the clothes and the famous friends, but his behaviour has always been exemplary. He’s a sophisticated and classy dude.”

One Mercedes briefing proves that Lewis Hamilton can control his ego

Steiner isn’t the only one who would challenge Danner. Former BBC F1 host Jake Humphrey says Hamilton is wracked with self-doubt, and has been since his first world championship triumph in 2008.

Another broadcaster, Jennie Gow, concedes that Hamilton was ‘somewhat petulant’ during his time at McLaren. But she hailed his development into an ‘extraordinary’ individual.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff wasn’t happy with Hamilton when he ran George Russell wide at last year’s Japanese GP. But his response was indicative of his true character.

Rather than defending his aggressive approach, he acknowledged that he should have played the team game. That certainly wasn’t the response of an egotistical driver.