Temple recalls turning point for Hamilton in 2012

Temple has been with the team since 2003. Nowadays he works for the British team as head of development. He tells how Hamilton's 'eureka' moment came about in 2012 - one year after Pirelli became the sport's only tyre supplier and four years after Hamilton's first world title.

"When Pirelli passed in 2011, it changed the way you had to drive enormously," explained Temple in the F1 Nation Podcast . "Lewis thought it was a weird idea to drive slower in order to go as fast as possible. Apart from that it was a difficult year for him, there was a lot going on in his life. But that was a real challenge for him. Especially because his teammate was Jenson Button, who was the master of the principle of going slower in order to be as fast as possible. That made him a bit nervous, but then ... The point where the penny fell was in Barcelona."

"That was the point at which he understood"

Temple continued: " In 2012 Lewis took pole but was relegated to the rear places due to a mistake in qualifying. The only way to overtake people in Barcelona is to drive them out on tire management. Overtaking does not work. That was the point he From that race he understood the importance of that and he took it with him for the rest of his career." Hamilton finished that race in eighth place after having to start from last place.

"In a way that characterises Lewis: he's at his best when things are tough," concluded Temple.