For those less than continental, Lewis Hamilton is a British racecar driver who competes in Formula 1 for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport.
He is a five-time Formula 1 World Champion and is considered the best driver of his generation, and for some, one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport.
To win in Formula 1, a racecar driver needs several elements. A top-flight engineering team, buckets of financing, luck, and world-class talent. An ecosystem essentially.
Matched with handling adroitness, engineering knowledge, plus the ability to communicate seamlessly with a team of engineers and marketers, today's F1 drivers are equal parts practitioner and visionary.
Earlier today Hamilton powered his car to first place at the Circuit Paul Ricard to win the 2019 French Grand Prix.
He beat his teammate Valtteri Bottas in a sister racecar by only 18 seconds.
In post-race remarks, Hamilton said: "I couldn't do it without the team. We are creating history together and I am so proud to be a part of it. I am happy."
Following his defeat, Bottas said: "It is something I need to have a look at. He [Hamilton] is not unbeatable, I know that, I just need to work hard."
With eight races down and thirteen more to go, Hamilton is well positioned to secure his sixth world championship and stake his claim to greatest of all time.
Statistically speaking, Michael Schumacher is the greatest driver of all time, but in 2016, Dr. Andrew Bell and his team from the University of Sheffield proclaimed five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio as the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time.
Examining data including the F1 team the driver was racing for, how good that team was at the time, the driver’s performance relative to their teammate, plus how competitive the race competition has shaped this conclusion.
So why does this all matter you?
It highly unlikely you will compete in Formula 1 let alone do more the 85 MPH on the interstate.
And yes, racecar drivers are not normal people.
For one, they are more economical in managing their performance, ensuring their high level of performance can be sustained for a greater period of time.
But how a driver performs can be learned and applied to even those of us working in more sedentary industries.
The physical side of motorsports cannot be underestimated, but getting a grasp on the mind can have an immense impact.
Coupled with a team and proper capital, we are all drivers of some fashion.
All of us is competing in motorsport.
All of us, to go faster, we can add horsepower, eliminate distractions, or reduce friction.
All of us, to compete, we can add team members, increase revenue, or reduce expenses.
Just like an F1 car, you can make it go faster with less weight, added horsepower, or better aerodynamics.
Combining the talents and tactics of driver and team, any racecar can be tweaked, enhanced, improved, and prepped for the next race.
Next Sunday the F1 series is off to Austria to compete at the Red Bull Ring.
Looking back at the post-race comments, Hamilton talked team, while Bottas stressed I.
Maybe Bottas was taking on the challenge and the responsibility himself, but I would feel better if he stressed team.
Even the best driver in the world needs a team to a win world championship.
A top-flight engineering team, buckets of financing, luck, and world-class talent.
An ecosystem essentially.
Do you have an ecosystem to win?
Your ecosystem may only be 18 seconds better, but that is all you might need to be considered the greatest.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross is an advisor and connector working at the intersection of globalization, disruption, and politics. Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and thought leaders make better connections and better communications. He is the founder of Caracal Global. Want more? Drop me an email @ marc@caracal.global.
1,000 songs in your pocket
No mention of the engineering.
No mention of the unprecedented memory.
No mention of the fashionable design.
No mention of the price.
Just these six words.
"iPod. 1,000 songs in your pocket."
This is how Steve Jobs introduced this new device on October 23, 2001. A device the would go on to change music, entertainment, and computers forever.
A device up until that point no consumer knew they wanted or even needed.
A device that held the equivalent of 100 CDs in your pocket.
A device that would change our relationship with music and our relationship with entertainment forever.
A device that would change our relationship with hardware and our relationship with companies forever.
The future is psychology and not technology.
The future is experience and not evidence.
Consumers want demeanor, not data.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross is the founder of Caracal Global and specializes in communications for thought leaders working at the intersection of globalization, disruption, and politics.
21 ways to not have the right network
1. Same backgrounds - think homophily.
2. Lack of mission statement.
3. Thinking small.
4. Too much self-reliance.
5. Same skills. Same talents. Same ideas.
6. Too provincial.
7. Limited perspective.
8. Choosing personality over purpose.
9. Reactive.
10. Not stubborn enough.
11. Easily swayed.
12. Over-reliance on cash and class as the connection.
13. Spending not investing.
14. No reboot.
15. Too many jerks.
16. More campaign, not cause.
17. Comfortable and content.
18. Thinking the hype is real.
19. Lack of moxie.
20. Don’t do the work.
21. Many ideas, no execution.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross specializes in thought leader strategy for executives and entrepreneurs working at the intersection of globalization, disruption, and politics.