Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has won everything there is to win in Formula 1 Racing. After a disappointing year, the 38-year-old has revealed he regularly thinks about leaving the sport.
It takes supreme levels of mental and physical dedication to be a Formula 1 driver. Contrary to the beliefs of casual viewers and armchair athletes, pushing a Formula 1 car to speeds in excess of 370km/h, performing razor sharps turns and dodging hazards with lighting quick reflexes is not easy. It takes years of training, commitment and hard work to even sniff the cockpit of one of the world’s most innovative high-performance vehicles. And it’s starting to catch up to Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton has been a dominant force on the Formula 1 circuit since entering the competition in 2007. Winning seven driver’s championships, the joint most of all time, including six out of seven championships from 2014 to 2020. Hamilton has also racked up a staggering 103 wins, the most by any Formula 1 driver ever. Despite his illustrious track record, its been tough going for Hamilton over the last two seasons. 2022 was the first year the 38-year-old failed to win a single race on the circuit, leading to doubts surrounding the star’s future.
Regardless of having a down season by his sky-high standards and the cruel march of father time leading Hamilton into the twilight of his career, many fans would assume the 38-year-old still has plenty left in the tank. But it seems he could be closer to retirement than most would expect. In a sensational interview with German newspaper Bild, Hamilton let a shocking admission slip, “Sometimes you wake up and have this feeling: I don’t want to do this anymore,” he said.
Heading into another gruelling year, there are important questions that athletes must ask themselves. Hamilton is no different. He says it’s important to ensure he’s still motivated and committed to the sport at the start of every season. “You have to ask yourself, are you willing to give as much, if not more than you did when you first started? Are you willing to give up all the time to prepare and train and work with the team and deliver?” Hamilton told Racing News 365.
In a sport where commitment is essential, Hamilton’s motivation could be waning as he takes interest in other aspects of life. “For me, motorsport is not the most important thing either. When I was a kid, maybe it was,” he said. “Since I’ve been in my 30’s, I’ve realised that it’s all about creating memories. With friends, with family. That’s what I focus on and plan things to create these moments. Because that’s what you take with you in the long run.”
Hamilton’s interests certainly look like they are shifting away from racing. “Sometimes you wake up and think: I can still do other things my whole life, there is definitely more I want to achieve,” he added. Hamilton has already built something of an empire to prepare himself for life outside of sport. A slew of business ventures including a clothing line, a plant-based fast-food franchise and a film production company mean he’ll still have his hands full once he retires from racing.
Hamilton listed the criteria that would determine whether it’s time to quit. “If there’s ever a moment that I’m arriving and I’m just coasting along, then that’s when I don’t personally belong here and don’t deserve a position here, and that’s when I should stop,” he said.
F1 fans say Hamilton has already been ousted as Mercedes’ number one driver following his disappointing 2022 season. 58% of respondents in a poll from Sports Express indicated that they viewed Hamilton’s teammate and fellow Englishmen George Russell as the team’s main star and primary championship contender.
Hamilton is still locked into a contract with Mercedes for the 2023 season, beyond that, his future is unknown. He’s yet to put pen to paper on a multi-year extension that would almost certainly be the last of his career. With his latest admission, the likelihood of 2023 being Hamilton’s final year is growing.
Before he calls it quits, Hamilton has a vision of the perfect send-off, “Quitting as a world champion is, I think, a dream that every athlete has and so do I.” He said. The 2023 Formula 1 season will begin with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5th. All eyes will be on Lewis Hamilton to see if he can secure a story tale ending to a remarkable career. And few would count him out.
