Lewis Hamilton's second season with Ferrari is turning out to be a complete reversal of his rocky debut. After struggling through his first year at Maranello, the seven-time world champion has roared back into contention and is now sitting second in the drivers' championship heading into the summer break. That's right, he's even ahead of his teammate George Russell despite driving the generally less competitive car. Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, isn't the least bit surprised by Hamilton's resurgence.

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Speaking to F1.com, Hill gave a blunt assessment of Hamilton's character and competitiveness. 'Cream always rises to the top, doesn't it?' Hill said. 'He's someone who you cut him in half and it just says competitor right the way through. He's going to win at anything he does.' Hill reckons Hamilton spent the winter adapting Ferrari to suit his driving style rather than just conforming to what the team wanted. The legendary driver believes Hamilton's reputation and bargaining power have allowed him to shape the project around his own strengths, and he's absolutely justified in doing so.

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Emerson Fittipaldi, a two-time world champion himself, has jumped on the praise wagon as well. The Brazilian thinks Hamilton's current machinery, with its lower downforce and emphasis on raw driving ability, plays perfectly into his hands. Fittipaldi also credits Hamilton's improved familiarity with Ferrari's way of operating as a massive factor in his turnaround. He's had a full off-season to gel with the engineers and systems, and it's clearly paying dividends.

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What really stands out is Hamilton's 31-point advantage over his Ferrari teammate Carlos Leclerc, who's had a tougher time this season than last year. Fittipaldi believes Hamilton's resurgence is brilliant news not just for Ferrari but for Formula 1 as a whole. Having both the Scuderia and one of the greatest drivers ever fighting at the front again is exactly what the sport needs right now.

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