Working with two champions
In his thirteen years of experience at Mercedes, where he served as the team’s chief strategist, James Vowles was in the unique position of working closely with both drivers who share the record for the most Formula 1 World Championships won: Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.
The German legend Michael Schumacher joined the Brackley-based team in 2010 for what would be his second and final stint in Formula 1, a comeback that lasted until the end of the 2012 season. Shortly after Schumacher’s retirement, Lewis Hamilton arrived in 2013, taking his place and remaining with the team all the way through to the conclusion of the 2023 season before making the high-profile move to Ferrari.
This rare overlap allowed Vowles to witness firsthand the characteristics, strengths, and working styles of both multiple world champions — an experience that few in the sport can claim.
The unique qualities of Schumacher
In an interview with the High Performance Podcast, Vowles — now the Team Principal of Williams — began by reflecting on the traits that defined Michael Schumacher during his time at Mercedes. According to James Vowles, Michael Schumacher had an extraordinary ability to extract the maximum from himself and from every member of the team, squeezing out every last millisecond of performance.
Behind the scenes, Michael Schumacher’s personality was notably different from the public image seen under the glare of the cameras and media attention. Off-track, he showed a genuine interest in the people around him. He wanted to know who you were, about your family, and about what motivated you to work in the demanding world of Formula 1. Vowles emphasised that Schumacher knew every single member of the team on a personal level, and this was not a strategy to gain a competitive edge — it was a sincere part of who he was. “This is Michael,” James Vowles explained, underlining the authenticity of the German’s approach to teamwork and leadership.
Hamilton, the master of braking
However, when it came to comparing the sheer driving talent of the two champions, James Vowles did not hesitate. “Michael was not the best driver in the car; Lewis is,” he stated without doubt.
James Vowles explained that Lewis Hamilton had an almost unparalleled ability to manipulate and fine-tune every single setting on the steering wheel that was within his reach, likening him to an octopus constantly making small adjustments to optimise performance.
He recalled a specific example that left a lasting impression on him. During a race simulation in Brazil, Vowles instructed Hamilton to remain in sixth gear while going uphill. Nico Rosberg, Hamilton’s teammate at the time, followed the instruction exactly. Hamilton, however, after just two laps, told Vowles that it did not feel right to him — and he quickly found a way to gain an extra tenth of a second in lap time.
According to James Vowles, Hamilton always uses data as a foundation but is not limited by it; he combines technical analysis with an extraordinary natural feel for the car. He has a unique sensitivity at the limit — something Vowles believes no other driver can match — and he is not afraid to push the boundaries to find that limit.
In the early stages of his career, this willingness to explore the limits sometimes led to him overshooting Turn 1 after crossing the finish line, but with experience he learned to control and harness this aggressiveness. Hamilton’s relentless pursuit of perfection made him particularly formidable in one specific area: braking.
James Vowles described him as “exceptionally strong under braking,” with the ability to maximise every aspect of the process — from the initial deceleration to the precise point of turn-in. It was this mastery, combined with his adaptability, technical understanding, and fearless exploration of the limits, that convinced James Vowles that Lewis Hamilton is the most naturally gifted driver he has ever worked with.
