Hamilton reveals the secret: 'I knew in February we wouldn't win the title'

Asked if the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Hamilton finished eighth and George Russell crashed out, was a kind of 'wake-up-call' for his team, he replied, "I don't know if they needed a reminder of how much work needs to be done, but it's always good to continue. There are always good things to take from a difficult weekend like that. When you have those sorts of kicks, it puts things into perspective."

He continued: "Last year, we had that win, and whilst it was a real big lift for the team, maybe it made us think that we would be better moving on to the next year. I'm actually grateful for the experience because the guys still know that we are still not as close as we would like to think. That means we have to work harder, and we just have to do a better job. But there's no one in the team who is under any illusions. So we realise that we've got a steep mountain to climb

Hamilton hopes for better choices in 2024

Hamilton hopes the team led by Toto Wolff will now make the right choices ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season, unlike a year earlier. "When I first drove the car in February, I immediately knew it wasn't a championship-winning car. It felt identical to the previous year's car, so that was definitely a concern," said the current number three in the F1 championship.

Nevertheless, he looks back on the 2023 season with satisfaction, in which he saw his team make some significant strides. "I think I've been very, very consistent, generally, apart from one race probably this year. It's generally been another good, consistent year for me, but there are lots of areas that I can continue to improve. But when we're on the podium in Austin and Mexico, that's down to the amazing people that I get to work with who have just not given up in the year and continue to push."