Negativity and Envy are denying the recognition for Hamilton - Wolff

Toto Wolff (left) and Lewis Hamilton (right) have huge respect for each other since Toto joined as Team Principal in 2014

Mercedes AMG Petronas Team Principal Toto Wolff says a 5th Championship still doesn't give Hamilton the respect and prestige.

Lewis Hamilton drove for the 6th time this season for Mercedes, winning 5 Driver's and Constructor's Championship as well as 73 wins for himself, second only to Michael Schumacher.

Still the Mercedes chief thinks Hamilton is not respected the same way around him, with Spain in 2008 and 2009 as examples for racism against Hamilton. The Brit might not get praised until he retired from racing, as Wolff said to the Reuters:

"Not everybody recognizes a great career, a great sportsman or greatness overall while it's happening. There is a lot of negativity and envy whilst it happens"

"It's only being recognized once a career has ended as having been really great and I don't know why that is. We are extremely privileged in following a career of maybe the greatest racing driver of all time."

"Obviously Michael has set the records and was unbelievable but Lewis is on a similar trajectory."

"Also with Michael, it was only recognized after he retired and even more when tragedy struck. And I think it's a pity."

Lewis and Toto with Valtteri Bottas

"We are live spectators, live witnesses of a great racing driver at the peak of his abilities."

"In the U.S. you are very much inspired by success. In Europe it triggers much more envy and negativity," he further said.

"I am certainly biased because I have an emotional attachment to Lewis, for me the greatest sports person that is in his career in Britain."

"Everybody wants to be recognized, particularly in their own country and in order to achieve the success he has, you need to be sensitive."

"He is that exceptional sports personality also because he polarizes. And I think at the end of the day, he's thinking that he'd rather polarize than be just in the middle and boring."

"He stays true to himself and his values and that is the most important thing."

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Shahmir Khan

Editor-in-Chief WEC & WRC, Member news desk.

In his own words, “17-year-old guy who is avid motorsports gamer. Petrolhead, die-hard F1 and motorsports fan and loves to write about cars and motorsports.”

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