“I hope they look back and say… ‘maybe he moved the needle a little bit’” : Lewis Hamilton discusses about his time with Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton drove his penultimate race with the Silver Arrows before leaving for Ferrari. With Mercedes, the Briton has achieved the status of the greatest F1 driver of all time, and one look at his accolades definitely justifies that.
Apart from winning six world championships, eight straight constructor’s titles and 154 podium finishes, Lewis Hamilton’s name is renowned worldwide. His achievements are unparalleled, from on-track dominance, cultural and social impacts, various businesses and above all, the inspiration he is for young fans and up and comers.
When asked recently about how he would remember the 12 years he spent with Mercedes, the Briton reflected on the successes of Mercedes and how he has helped them become one of the best constructors ever. But as for himself, Hamilton wants to be remembered for more than just his performances on track.
“I get asked about legacy a lot, but honestly, I don’t really think about that. I’ve tried to hold the brand to the highest level throughout the years and everything that I do hopefully has reflected the brand.” Hamilton said to the Doha News.
“I hope that in 10 or 20 years, they look back and say, ‘maybe he moved the needle a little bit’, to enable people from all shapes and sizes, all different backgrounds, religion, gender, to get into the sport where they perhaps wouldn’t have been able to do before.” the Briton added.
While his dominance has occasionally drawn criticism for making the sport less competitive, Hamilton’s commitment to excellence and advocacy for change ensures his place as an iconic and transformative figure not just in F1, but in all of sports. Simply as one of the best ever.
“It’s a much better car than last year so I’m hoping this weekend will be different” : Lewis Hamilton wants to carry on with the momentum after success in Vegas
The seven-time world champion was placed tenth after qualification but managed to finish at second place. It was a much-needed win for the Briton and Mercedes to end the drought they had been in after the summer break.
With just two races left, the Brackley-based team now want to finish on a high note, and this morale might also spoil some plans for the other constructors.
For Lewis Hamilton, this the best possible chance he has to get another, and possibly his last victory with the Silver Arrows before he joins the Italians. His record is sublime in Qatar as he describes the track as ‘amazing to drive on’.
“It’s a much better car than last year so I’m hoping this weekend will be different — maybe something special,”
“This track is amazing to drive and it felt good. Being that it is such a fast circuit I don’t think it’s the easiest of circuits to follow, but it’s good for the tyres,” the 39-year-old explained.
Qatar was also one of the four races Hamilton had to win in order to win the championship over Max Verstappen in 2021. Although that dream was crushed in the final minutes in Abu Dhabi, the experience could certainly come in handy. But when asked about that, the Briton said he does not even remember it.
“I barely remember last week, I don’t remember the race but I remember the qualifying lap was pretty special.”
