The Melbourne Grand Prix: Why Lewis Hamilton Gambled and Won

Arnold Schwarzenegger & Lewis Hamilton
9 April 2015 by    2 min read

It is often said that Formula 1 drivers gamble with their lives when they head out onto the track, but it also seems they are prepared to take risks away from the circuit. Over the years, we have seen a number of drivers use some of their winnings to ante-up and Lewis Hamilton seemed prepared to hedge his bets recently following his victory in the Melbourne Grand Prix. 

Going into the opening race of the season, the 30-year-old Brit was hotly tipped to run away with the victory and, despite a tricky qualification round, he did not disappoint. Thanks to his natural ability and Mercedes' mechanical prowess, Hamilton managed to race round the track in 1:31:54.067 and secure 25 championship points. But why was it a gamble?

Hamilton's Winning Gamble

Heading into the race, Hamilton knew that he was preparing to renegotiate his contract, but this time he was going to do it alone. Without the help of a management team, Hamilton needed to put in a strong performance in Melbourne to keep his leverage at an all-time high. Only a win would allow him to maximise a deal without the help of a broker.

Fortunately for him, that gamble paid off as his negotiations reportedly went extremely well and he is now said to be in the closing stages of securing a deal worth £27 million a year. With that sort of cash, the young driver could certainly afford to take a few more punts in his life. In fact, back in 2008 after he had secured a £70 million deal with McLaren, he was spotted celebrating in a style at London's Fifty Casino. Fortunately, online casino gambling has evolved dramatically since that time so if Hamilton was planning on repeating his celebrations then he would not have to worry about any prying eyes. 

Vettel Lagging and he Knows It

While Hamilton is willing to gamble with his future, Sebastian Vettel looked unwilling to adopt the same "take a risk attitude" during the Melbourne Grand Prix. During the race it was apparent that Ferrari just did not have the grunt to match Mercedes' two cars. That meant the German was confined to third place. Not only that, but Vettel's time was a disappointing 34 seconds slower than Hamilton. In reality, both Vettel and Ferrari are going to need to take some chances if they want to overcome the Mercedes team this season.

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes - Winning Time: 1:31:54.067 - Average Speed: 200.807 mph

Nico Rosberg Mercedes - Lag: +1.360 Seconds - Average Speed: 200.758 mph

✅ Check out more posts with related topics: