With the 2022 Formula 1 season entering its final stretch, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton addressed both his season, and his future, in a recent sitdown with Formula1.com. In the discussion, the driver outlined what a record-breaking eighth Formula 1 World Championship would mean to him, his future in the sport and his future with the Mercedes racing team.
Lewis Hamilton: ‘I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon’
The Mercedes driver addressed his present, and his future
David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
Hamilton, who has fallen out of contention for a championship this season, recently made his 300th Grand Prix start and is currently the record-holder for the most pole positions (103) and victories (103) in F1 history. His seven titles place him alongside the legendary Michael Schumacher for the most in F1 history, and with one more title, he would stand along atop the sport.
Of course, the idea that no driver in history has ever gone past seven, you want to try and accomplish that. But I guess – as you get older – you realise the journey is the most important part and the ride that you do with all the people, and all the people that you bring with you, and all the people that you try to elevate…
Hamilton’s best performances this season have been a pair of second-place finishes, first at the French Grand Prix back in July when he finished ten seconds behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. That Grand Prix was notable for a crash from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc that saw Leclerc give the lead to Verstappen on lap 18, allowing Red Bull to cruise to the victory.
Hamilton then finished second at the Hungary Grand Prix a week later, against behind Verstappen, despite posting the fastest lap time during the event.
Still, despite the fact that Hamilton and Mercedes have fallen out of title contention, the driver has no visions of being anywhere else. “I think I’ll always be with Mercedes until the day I die. I feel like I can race for quite a bit longer, so I’ll be potentially steering towards that.”
Hamilton’s future also involves a foray into the National Football League. It was announced recently that he was joining the new ownership group of the Denver Broncos:
Still, his focus is on the track, and that potential record-setting championship. So you can put those stories about his impending retirement on the shelf for a while longer:
For years we’ve been going around, up and down with stories of retirement and stopping. For me, I feel healthier than I’ve ever felt, as I focus a lot on that – I’m feeling fit. I love what I’m doing and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon.
The next F1 Grand Prix is set for the end of the month, with the Singapore Grand Prix. This is the first time the Singapore Grand Prix will be held after a two-year layoff due to Covid-19. Hamilton finished fourth at the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix, won by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
F1 recently announced their 2023 schedule, with a record 24 events, including 3 in the United States.
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