“I don’t know how much longer I can go” : Lewis Hamilton plans on his F1 retirement
It will be one of the saddest days for fans and the F1 when Sir Lewis Hamilton finally retires from the sport. The Briton has been in the Formula scene for over 17 years now, but admits that the end is near.
But the 39-year-old has not shown any immediate signs of stopping. After two rough years with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton along with his partner George Russell have shown resilience and vastly improved their performances, with the Briton clinching two grand prix victories already this season.
The greatest F1 driver of all time, as widely considered, also broke the internet this year by signing with the Italian team Scuderia Ferrari and fulfilling his childhood dream of wearing the red uniform. Although he signed a lucrative multi-year deal with them, the Briton will be 40 by the time next season rolls up, and the thoughts of retirement are well considered.
“I want to make sure I really max it out” : Lewis Hamilton’s reveals strategy for the final stretch of his career
The seven-time world champion and fifth-longest-serving driver in F1 history reveals that he does have a plan for retirement and has also talked with many former rivals and friends about it, but for now remains determined to have a strong start with Ferrari next season. In a recent interview with US magazine Esquire, the Briton talked about many things and answered plenty of questions, from working with Brad Pitt for the latest F1 movie, pre-match rituals to his eventual retirement scene.
“There are days I’m like, ‘shoot, I don’t know how much longer I can go’. There are days I’m like, ‘shoot, I’d love a break’ because you don’t get a real big break in the season like other sports. You’re not really getting a huge amount of downtime. But I do have, mentally, a plan of where I would like to extend to. I’ve just got to strategize and sequence things. Is there a time when I’m not all in, and I’m just not in love with it anymore?” said Hamilton.
“That’s the moment that hopefully never happens, in the sense that I’ve fallen out of love with it. But I will know when I need to stop. I want to make sure I really max it out while I can and fully enjoy this sport I’ve done my whole life,” the Briton added.
Lewis Hamilton also said it is tougher to stay fit and compete with drivers who are in their twenties and in the essential prime of their career. But despite approaching his 40s, the Briton still has a sense of responsibility on his shoulders and vows to continue his excellent form this season for a dream start at Ferrari, potentially notching another world title in the final chapter of his career.
