Aug.28 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton says he has returned from Formula 1’s summer shutdown with a new outlook after branding himself “useless” before the break.
“In the heat of the moment, it can happen to anyone, and that’s how I felt,” the seven-time champion admitted at Zandvoort. “There was so much pressure in the first half of the season that it wasn’t fun.
“So I think we just have to remember that we love what we do. We’re all in this together, and we’re trying to enjoy it.”
The Ferrari driver, 40, said his main goal for the remainder of the year is to rediscover enjoyment. “I think having fun is probably the most important thing, because that’s why I got into this sport, because I had fun. I think for anyone, regardless of their career, if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, why are you doing it?” said the Briton.
Hamilton believes “the noise of the paddock” before and after tough weekends had distracted him. “It can make you lose sight of what’s important. That’s why I say I just want to rediscover that joy,” he said.
“I joined the team I always dreamed of racing for, and there was so much noise that, in a way, it prevented me from fully enjoying it.”
Looking back, Hamilton also suggested his difficult adaptation was not unprecedented. “I’ve been through it many times. I’ve never gotten into a car and won immediately. There have always been difficult moments, and I’m one of those people who doesn’t settle for that.
“That’s exactly what happened to me in the long relationship I had before.”
When asked by Sky Italia if his struggles could simply be age-related, Hamilton dismissed the idea. “No problem with that,” he smiled.
“Maybe it takes a little longer to recover, but I’m stronger than ever. I have more muscle, which is usually the opposite of what happens with advancing years. But I think I’m far from losing my strength. But maybe in ten years the situation will be different.”
As for teammate Charles Leclerc, his bid to win from pole in Hungary collapsed amid suggestions Ferrari made setup changes during a pitstop to avoid disqualification for plank wear. “I’m not going to comment on that,” Leclerc said.
“I don’t really care what George (Russell) said after the race. The situation is much more complex than he’s making it out to be, but I don’t want to comment on it too much.”
Looking ahead, the Monegasque admitted Ferrari cannot afford to let McLaren’s 2025 dominance roll into the new rules era. “You always hear something that makes you think in a certain direction,” Leclerc said. “Then you start thinking about how they do this, and of course the media also plays a major role in uncovering McLaren’s secret.
“Our priority is to stay on top of this and ensure we don’t lag behind with the latest developments,” Leclerc added.
“We have to make sure we discover things that other teams haven’t discovered yet, because if you follow the rest, you can only become the second team.”
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