Damon Hill: 'Lewis Hamilton can lead Mercedes'

Damon Hill has said that Lewis Hamilton can be a team leader at Mercedes.

The 2008 world champion has joined Mercedes from McLaren, where he will be teammates with Nico Rosberg, who will be in his third season with the team.

Hill, who won the 1996 drivers' title, told Autosport.com: "When I was at Williams I had not been leading, I had been very much a test driver, but when I went to another team I was seen as a leader, so maybe it's easier to take on that role once they're looking to you to give them some direction.

"Lewis might learn that, he might find that in himself. We don't know, but put in that situation he might find it.

"Look at [Fernando] Alonso. He doesn't have a design office in his head. He knows how to motivate a team and gets the best out of the bunch of guys he's got."

Hamilton replaces seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who has retired for the second time.