Former Lewis Hamilton's engineer rejects claims of arrogance: "He's a real team player"

Jock Clear has pushed back strongly against claims that Lewis Hamilton is driven purely by self-interest, insisting the seven-time world champion is one of the most committed team players he has encountered in Formula 1.

"Nothing could be further from the truth"

Hamilton, the most successful driver in F1 history, has at times faced accusations that he behaves as though he is bigger than the team around him. Clear firmly rejects that narrative.

According to Clear, Hamilton’s success has been built on collaboration rather than ego.

“The guy is great as a team player. It’s reassuring to know that those skills and those qualities are what makes success in F1, because it is a team sport.”

Clear’s assessment is rooted in direct experience. He believes that if Hamilton had truly been arrogant or self-centred, he would not have achieved the level of success he has in the sport.

Far from projecting superiority, Hamilton has at times been openly self-critical. During a troubled spell following Abu Dhabi 2021, he even described himself as “useless” at one stage in 2025, admitting that self-doubt has been a recurring theme throughout his career.

Verstappen also misunderstood

Clear extended a similar defence to Max Verstappen, challenging the perception that the Red Bull driver is inherently selfish. That image was amplified when Verstappen refused to follow team orders at the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Despite that episode, Clear does not accept the idea that Verstappen operates purely for himself.

“I don’t know him, I haven’t worked him, but we have this view that Max is ruthlessly selfish,” Clear said. “There’s no way that Max is a selfish driver.”

He pointed instead to the strength of the structure around Verstappen during his dominant period. Between 2021 and 2024, the Dutchman secured four consecutive world titles, achievements Clear attributes in part to a well-built team environment.

“I know that, in the background, he has developed a fantastic team at Red Bull. He knows that’s what matters – GP, Adrian, Christian, they all put it together.”

While Verstappen has long been established as Red Bull’s clear number one driver, Ferrari’s current structure places Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on equal footing.

In Clear’s view, both champions — despite contrasting public perceptions — understand a fundamental truth about Formula 1: individual brilliance only translates into titles when it is fully aligned with the strength of the team behind it.