Lewis Hamilton: Damon Hill Hails 'Matured' Mercedes F1 Driver (VIDEO) | HuffPost

WATCH: Hill Hails 'Mature' Hamilton (VIDEO)

The Huffington Post UK/PA

Lewis Hamilton can attribute his superb form this season to his new-found maturity, according to former Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill.

The Briton leads the early Formula One drivers' championship after winning the last four races while competing fiercely with Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

Now in his eighth season in F1, Hill feels Hamilton's level of experience and a more settled personal life are proving important factors in his fellow Briton's bid to win a second world title.

Hill has been impressed by Hamilton's level of maturity so far this season

Hill, speaking ahead of this summer's 50th British Grand Prix at Silverstone, added: "He's got extraordinary talent and he's happy. He seems to be very comfortable now.

"He took a big risk by moving from his 'home' at McLaren to Mercedes, a team where lots of people were saying 'ooh it's a big risk'. But he's looked at that, made the decision on his own, using his own assessment of the situation and, all credit to him, he's now in the pound seats and he's making the most of his opportunity.

"It might not be so good for all of the other teams in Formula One, because Mercedes look like they are cleaning up, but he still has to fight Nico Rosberg for the championship. But he looks very strong."

Hamilton wins Chinese Grand Prix

F1 Grand Prix of China(01 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with his team following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(02 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP leads during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(03 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(04 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP leads the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(05 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP leads during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(06 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP leads into the first corner during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(07 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP leads the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(08 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP drives during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

AUTO-PRIX-CHN-F1(09 of28)

Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain leads the pack at the start of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 20, 2014. AFP PHOTO/GOH CHAI HIN (Photo credit should read GOH CHAI HIN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(10 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP leads Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing and Fernando Alonso of Spain and Ferrari into the third corner during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(11 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP leads Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing and Fernando Alonso of Spain and Ferrari into the third corner during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(12 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(13 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(14 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with his team following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(15 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with his team following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

AUTO-PRIX-CHN-F1-PODIUM(16 of28)

Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 20, 2014. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(17 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with his team following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(18 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with his team following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(19 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with teamate second placed Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(20 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with his team following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

AUTO-PRIX-CHN-F1(21 of28)

Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 20, 2014. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(22 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(23 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with teamate second placed Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(24 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with his team following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(25 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(26 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with teamate second placed Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(27 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory following the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

F1 Grand Prix of China(28 of28)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates his victory with team-mate second placed Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP during the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 20, 2014 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

"He's definitely matured," the 1996 world champion added. "Not only has he matured, he's found himself some sort of balance.

"It's not easy when you're young to come into Formula One. It's a very extreme environment in all sorts of ways such as the travel, the people you meet, the pressures, the press, all those things.

"It takes a while for a driver to settle into those responsibilities. After a bit they become accustomed to it and become better able to deal with the situation."

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