Mercedes Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton has disclosed that he has quit drinking in the hopes of returning to his winning form.
The seven-time world champion who controversially lost the title to Max Verstappen in 2021, has had a challenging couple of seasons after the incident. Lewis Hamilton has not experienced an F1 victory ever since.
The Silver Arrows have also experienced severe pace challenges after the sport introduced new regulations. The 38-year-old’s contract with the team was originally scheduled to expire at the end of 2023, but he managed to negotiate a two-year extension.
Even though the 38-year-old is approaching the end of his career, he continues to deliver excellent drives, and if Mercedes can provide him with a competitive car, there’s no doubt that he will contend for a record eighth championship.
However, given that Verstappen and Red Bull are anticipated to maintain their dominance in 2024, Hamilton is trying to improve his personal performance as much as possible.
Hamilton revealed to Vogue that he has quit drinking alcohol, citing past experiences as the reason behind his apparent personal vow to refrain from drinking.
“I’ll suffer for several days—sometimes it’ll be like three or four days,” Hamilton admitted. “I’ve always been looking for how do you get that extra one per cent? As an athlete, that’s what you are always doing.
“I don’t know if I’m going to drink again. Since I’ve quit drinking, I’ve just been feeling so much better, so much more clarity. I sleep better, I wake up in the morning and I can still get up at 5 a.m.
“I’ve always been looking for how do you get that extra 1%? As an athlete, that’s what you are always doing.”
The driver, who recently launched his own non-alcoholic tequila brand, Almave, in partnership with Casa Lumbre master distiller Ivan Saldana, claimed that he has not consumed an alcoholic drink in four months.
“I’ve always loved a good tequila,” he added. “But on days or nights when I needed a clear mind, either the night before a race or while hanging with friends, I could not find an authentic non-alcoholic option.
“And so began a relentless pursuit to create a non-alcoholic spirit that does not compromise on authenticity or quality.”
He is expecting to benefit from that “extra 1%” in the two final races in the 2023 Formula 1 calendar set to be held in Abu Dhabi and Las Vegas.
The Mercedes driver is currently third in the standings, 32 points behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in second, but he still has Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris all dangerously close behind him.
