Mario Andretti admits he’s been blown away by 38-year-old’s ‘resurgence’ this year

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Former F1 world champion Mario Andretti has admitted that he’s absolutely loved watching Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton this season.

Andretti was speaking on the Beyond The Grid Podcast about his time in Formula 1.

Mario Andretti is widely regarded as one of the best racing drivers of his generation.

He won the 1978 F1 World Championship in what was one of the most star-studded grids in the sport’s history.

He was up against Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, James Hunt, Keke Rosberg, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Jody Scheckter among other top athletes.

His victory in the Netherlands that year is still the last time an American driver has won a Formula 1 race.

Andretti also won four IndyCar titles and is the only driver to be an F1 world champion and Indianapolis 500 winner.

So, when Andretti compliments a driver, you stand up and take notice and he’s singled out Lewis Hamilton as one of the racers he’s loved watching this season.

Hamilton looks like he might go back-to-back years without winning a Grand Prix which will disappoint him.

But at 38, he’s still getting the best out of his car and still has a chance to break up a Red Bull one-two at the top of the Drivers’ Standings.

Andretti hails amazing Hamilton season

Speaking about the seven-time world champion, Andretti said: “I mean Lewis [Hamilton], I see a resurgence of Lewis as far as a fight that he’s in.

“OK, there was a mistake [from George Russell in Singapore] but he was going for that lead no matter what and at that point he thought, well my teammate is going to back off, well the teammate had the same thought.

“But I like that, I like that kind of a drive at this stage of their career, it’s still there. So that’s what you look forward to watching.”

Andretti might have been looking the other way in Brazil when Hamilton had one of his poorer showings for the season.

There was nothing he could do as his Mercedes fell away throughout last Sunday’s race with the track temperatures causing him and Russell serious problems.

They could have the opposite issue in Las Vegas where it’s expected to be very cold, but it’s unknown whether that might now benefit Mercedes.