Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has admitted he ‘often’ thinks about retiring from Formula 1 but also insists he is ‘still hungry’ to win more F1 races.
The Brit won his 100th grand prix in Russia last weekend adding to his list of record Formula 1 wins.
The 36-year old is locked in a tight battle for the 2021 championship with RedBull driver Max Verstappen with only two points separating the latter with only seven rounds remaining in the 2021 Formula 1 season.
Hamilton signed a two-year contact with Mercedes that will see him drive for the team upto 2023.
When asked about his retirement after so much success in Formula 1, Lewis said, “That thought often happens to me. It’s like a wave.”
“It comes and goes, there have been many occasions in the last four or five years when I didn’t know if I still wanted to try, sacrifice myself with training at the expense of personal life.”
“There are other things I like to do. So many things I would like to try. But on the other hand I tell myself that I am so lucky to be doing this job.”
“In a rather long period of time, the career in the car becomes only a small part, there is a lot of time to retire. It is a question of finding the balance. I tell myself that if I am still hungry and I train like I was a boy, which I am doing, and if I still get great results and I’m still hungry…”
“If I find myself slower, lacking strength to train, and unmotivated, then I’ll know it’s time to stop.”
Hamilton will be joined by George Russell at Mercedes in 2022 which will see a brand new car and new regulations put in place. He also praised the new generation of young F1 drivers such as Lando Norris, George Russell and Charles Leclerc and insisted he was not ‘scared’ of facing them in 2022 under new regulations.
