Hamilton: « I’m going to continue to do more and better in racing, but it’s no longer a big goal »
In a rich interview with L'Équipe Magazine, Lewis Hamilton explained that he had achieved his main goal in Formula 1 by winning three championship titles. He now wants to grow more in terms of personal fulfillment rather than driving.
Lewis Hamilton shares a Mercedes seat with Nico Rosberg, but the two teammates come from diametrically opposed family backgrounds. While the German could count on a father who was a F1 world champion, the Englishman comes from a modest background. When asked where his determination comes from, Lewis Hamilton promptly answers: « From my origins, my anger, my energy. From knowing that my father worked hard for me to succeed. I witnessed every drop of sweat he shed. We had to fight so hard to be here. When I race, I carry that fire within me. A fire that no other driver possesses. That’s what gives me my strength, » revealed Hamilton to L’Équipe Magazine.
The Mercedes driver has now achieved his main goal in the discipline: winning three championship titles, like Ayrton Senna. His motivation is not entirely intact: « How to raise the bar this season? How to do things differently? I think the next phase will be to grow as a human being rather than as a race car driver. I have reached my potential, I will continue to do more and better in races, but it’s no longer a major goal. I am considering retiring in seven years and I am questioning my future. There are many areas where I can grow outside of racing. In fashion, business, music, with kids whom I adore to help them achieve their dreams like I did. (…) I don’t want to stay in this [F1] environment ».
Already, Lewis Hamilton stands out from the rest of the paddock by displaying a lifestyle full of glitz and glamour, with both fashion and music. Is this compatible with the demands of top-level sport? “I am young. I don’t need much sleep,” explains the Englishman.
Lewis Hamilton ultimately asserts his difference in the sanitized world of Formula 1: « You know, when I arrived in F1, it was very strict, very structured. It was: ‘You have to rest like this’ ‘you have to train like that’ F1 drivers hear this all their lives, and I did like everyone else. (…) And then, after a few years, I realized that in fact, we could act differently, find another balance. Of course, you can’t party all night. You have to take care of your health and have a healthy lifestyle, because yes, F1 is super physical and very demanding. But I discovered that there are a lot more resources within us than we usually think. (…) If I’m not busy, if I don’t use all my energy, I feel bad. »
Lewis Hamilton is currently 31 years old and has won 43 out of the 157 Grand Prix races he has competed in since 2007.
