Wolff explains Hamilton's hold over Vettel

Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton's ability to analyse his own performances has been crucial in him accelerating away from Sebastian Vettel over the last two years.

Hamilton has equalled and then surpassed Vettel's tally of four drivers' titles with triumphs across the past two seasons, and he is well set for a sixth crown in 2019.

The Ferrari man, on the other hand, has been in something of a tailspin over the past 12 months, since slithering out of the 2018 German Grand Prix and handing a championship lead over to Hamilton that he would not relinquish.

Asked if Hamilton's performances had prompted Vettel into making mistakes, Wolff said: "I think you need to be careful of trying to pinpoint it to one single factor.

"Undoubtedly, Lewis has a great ability and talent. But one of the strengths that I have been a witness to in those last years is how he continues to develop as a racing driver and how he continues to develop as a human being.

"He is very self-reflective. I've said it a few times, but he is the only driver I have heard coming in after a session and saying 'you don't need to look at my data because my driving was not good enough', and that from a five-time world champion.

"And I think that self-reflection and that ability to be brutally honest with yourself has certainly made him one of the greats.

"I know Sebastian, but I have too little insight into how the team works and how Sebastian looks at things.

"What I can say is that the record speaks for him. He has won four championships and that doesn't come from nowhere and I have no reason to believe that he is not going to recover from what looks like a moment of mistakes.

"But definitely both of these drivers have shaped a generation of drivers and it is exciting to see them fighting."

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