Lewis Hamilton, who once ruled the sport of Formula One, witnessed a brutal downfall since the regulation change enforced in 2021. The change in rules forced Mercedes to opt for a proactive approach, which essentially backfired. The car’s zeropod concept was an utter disaster, thus leaving the seven-time world champion helpless.
Lewis Hamilton, who holds the record for most wins and pole position in F1, is yet to taste a victory in over 18 months. To further add to the misery, Mercedes plummeted further into the 2023 season. While the Briton finished P3 in the championship standings, the unprecedented and ever-lasting challenges took a toll on him.
Lewis Hamilton Admits 2023 F1 Season Challenged Him Mentally!
Everything that could go wrong with Mercedes went wrong in the 2023 Formula One season. Instead of chasing Red Bull for the championship, the team faced trouble staying ahead of Ferrari and McLaren in the pecking order. They were having an internal battle to produce competitive speed from the wrecked W14. The upgrade packages worked to an extent but were highly inconsistent. Meanwhile, the person who was left the most hurt was seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The man on the quest for his record-breaking eight titles will have to stay around a little longer to accomplish the unthinkable achievement. Having said that, despite being in the sport for over a decade, Hamilton had a tough time grappling with the challenges.
Lewis Hamilton is accustomed to highs and lows. However, he has never been in a position where he stumbled after being at the top for a long while. That is exactly what unfolded with Mercedes and Hamilton this season. After dominating the sport for a decade, they fell behind in the pecking order. Thus, it’s natural for a 38-year-old driver to burn out under pressure. However, the acclaimed British driver begs to differ. He says that while he is emotionally drained after the lost season, he is not burned out. Lewis has always believed that F1 is an extreme sport and one must stay physically fit to face challenges. However, sometimes, the travel and logistics get to him. This year, especially, teams had to travel from Las Vegas all the way to Abu Dhabi in a week, which wasn’t the right move, according to Hamilton. “I think with all the negativity in the world as well, it’s been quite draining to maintain a positive mindset through the year,” he reckoned.
Hamilton Picks 2023 Season Highlight!
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton picked Budapest as the best moment of the abysmal 2023 season. The British driver won the pole, defeating Max Verstappen by 0.011 seconds. However, the fact that Mercedes were able to close the gap, even for a brief moment, filled the team with hope.
“We were able to dethrone the Red Bulls at a specific moment. It gave us hope and the feeling that if we kept pushing, we would reach their level,” said Lewis Hamilton. Having said that, Lewis wasn’t able to carry forward the momentum as Verstappen took a 33-second lead on Sunday to win the main race.