When Timing Meets Talent: The Link between Lewis Hamilton and Victor Espinoza

Can Peyton Manning still put enough zip on the ball to be effective?  Is LeBron James truly the best basketball player in the world right now?  Is Mike Trout as good as his WAR numbers indicate?  These three questions, all of which are a yes, are easily answered.  Just turn on the games and see for yourself.  However, some athletes toil in sports, which may hide their true capabilities.  That is the case for Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton and jockey Victor Espinoza.

Both of these men have stepped into the limelight because of their mounts, not a sudden talent increase. In Hamilton’s case, his racing setup benefited from the new engine, fuel, gearbox, and other tweaks to the 2014 cars.  Mercedes boasts the top two drivers in Formula 1 with Nico Rosberg in second.  Hamilton has used his mechanical advantage to be as dominating as Sebastian Vettel was last season.  The difference is that Vettal’s teammate, Mark Webber, did not challenge him to the degree that Rosberg has pushed Hamilton.

   

The Spanish Grand Prix, pictured below, is a perfect example of this phenomenon.  Rosberg was on the medium compound tires, which improve handling, during the final laps of the race but could not pass Hamilton who was still on the hard compound tires.  Hamilton has won the last four races of the circuit because he has out driven Rosberg.  Hamilton has been in position to do so because the Mercedes team has given him a better car than last season.

Espinoza suffers from a similar fate.  Despite a pair of Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes wins California Chrome's pilot suffers from a low Q rating.  He is at the whim of thoroughbreds and trainers for opportunities to display his gift.  Espinoza has averaged 8,000 dollars won per start in his career.  Compare that to Calvin Borel who nets 3,605 dollars per start.  As an additional comparison, Pat Day was good for 7,392 dollars per start during his illustrious career.  While Espinoza has been a more profitable jockey, he does not have the national cache that accompanies the other two riders.

            Espinoza’s Triple Crown campaign aboard California Chrome will likely change that paradigm.  It is time that Espinoza and Hamilton receive attention for their skills.  They have both been performing ridiculously well and much of that depends upon his mount or car respectively.  This past month has been a reminder that some of the world’s best athletes operate outside of public awareness.  For every Manning or James, there is a Hamilton or Espinoza who simply needs the right ride to display his talent.