One step forward, two steps back, such has been the story of Mercedes in the past couple of seasons. The Brackley outfit went from being on top of the F1 world to struggling to figure out where it all went wrong. The man suffering the most from this reality is Lewis Hamilton with his desire for the elusive eighth championship hanging in the balance. However, the resolve the Brit has showcased time and again isn’t going unnoticed.

In fact, F1 hopeful and 1978 world champion Mario Andretti is now among many who have recognized this resolve. The Italian-American expressed the same in the latest episode of F1: Beyond the Grid podcast.

Mario Andretti glorifies the resolve of Lewis Hamilton

Mario Andretti has been looking at F1 from a distance for quite some time. The American has kept up with the sport despite his commitment to the racing legacy they have built in America. So when asked about who he believes is on top of the F1 world in terms of quality, Andretti had only one name in mind.

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“I mean Lewis, I see a resurgence of Lewis as far as a fight, the fight’s that’s in him! You know, even though they say there was a mistake.. but he was going for that lead no matter what. At that point he thought well my teammate is going to back off, well, the teammate had the same thought, you know what I mean? 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,” said the world champion. 

Mario Andretti Lauds Lewis Hamilton for ‘Control of Spirit’ – “Even When His Soul is Ripped Out”

This drive we see in Hamilton still and it’s obvious as the entire world of F1 sees it as well. However, the Italian-American and the Brit have not always seen eye to eye and that can mostly be credited to Mario Andretti.

Mario Andretti forces a reply from Lewis Hamilton after his insensitive assessment

Back in 2020, the world was consumed by the horrific live murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer back in 2020. The incident sparked massive public outrage, and the Black Lives Matter movement gathered enough steam to reach all parts of the world.

Lewis Hamilton, an already vocal champion of diversity and inclusivity, used his massive platform to highlight the movement and voiced his support for it. However, his support made Mario Andretti divulge his opinion on F1 drivers taking on the role of an activist.

The 1978 world champion said, “I have a lot of respect for Lewis, but why become a militant? He’s always been accepted, and he’s earned everyone’s respect. I think the whole point of this is pretentious. I feel that way. And it’s creating a problem that doesn’t exist.”

The Mercedes man did not sit quite either and called out his insensitive remarks. “This is plain ignorance, but that will not stop me from continuing to push for change. It is never too late to learn, and I hope that this man, whom I’ve always had respect for, can take the time to educate himself,” said Hamilton. This made Andretti backtrack on his comments. However, we have a feeling the relationship will not mend easily.

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Perhaps this is why the American has been a vocal supporter of Hamilton out of the blue. Regardless, it will be interesting to see the two come face to face if the Andretti brand joins the circus.