Lewis Hamilton has been a part of Formula 1 for over 15 years and has become one of the most successful drivers in the world. The Briton has a record seven world championships under his name, tied with the veteran F1 driver Michael Schumacher. After winning his first world championship with McLaren in 2008, Lewis moved to Mercedes as the German outfit kicked off a new era of domination. The 37-year-old won six drivers’ championships and led the Silver Arrows to eight consecutive constructors’ championships since 2014.
Last year, Hamilton came within a touching distance of his eighth world championship, which Red Bull’s Max Verstappen denied during a controversial final race of the season in Abu Dhabi. The former FIA race director, Micheal Masi, took a controversial decision of restarting the race in the final lap after a late safety car, allowing Max to overtake Lewis Hamilton during the final few moments of the race and win his maiden F1 championship. Hamilton had a really tough time accepting reality. He went off social media for a while before returning with Mercedes to introduce their new F1 car.
Talking to Vanity magazine, Hamilton revealed how tough it was to bounce back from the defeat in Abu Dhabi. He also considered retiring from the motorsport as he tried hard to put what he felt into words. Lewis remembered sitting in his car in disbelief after the race in Abu Dhabi. He did not have the strength to undo his belts and get out of the car. The Briton reckoned it was one of the toughest moments he had in a long time. Hamilton added, “I, for sure, considered whether I wanted to continue.”
Lewis Hamilton Plans On Staying After 2023
The 37-year-old extended his contract with Mercedes until the end of 2023. After the struggle the German team had with their car, it was believed that Lewis Hamilton might call it quits after the 2023 season. However, the Briton revealed the prospect of having a record eight world championships still drives him. Lewis said he would be lying if he claimed to have not thought about extending. The Mercedes driver is still on the mission, loves driving, and still feels the sport is challenging him. Thus, Hamilton did not feel like he had to give up Formula 1 anytime soon.
Lewis Hamilton acknowledged that he was at the stage of his career where people he had raced with so long were starting to stop. He added that after Fernando Alonso leaves F1, he will be the oldest driver on the grid. However, his focus is on improving the car and taking crucial steps to get Mercedes back to winning ways. Hamilton is still eyeing another championship victory and making the sport more aligned regarding diversity.