Davidson 'saddened' by Hamilton's mental health issue and opens up himself
F1 News
Former F1 driver turned Sky pundit Anthony Davidson has explained he is "saddened" after Lewis Hamilton revealed he has struggled with mental health issues. But the driver, who karted with Hamilton, felt "proud" of the seven-time World Champion and felt he could open up about his own anxiety battle.
Hamilton is, statistically, the greatest driver in the history of Formula 1. Nobody has won more races or secured more pole positions than the current Mercedes driver. But he revealed it hasn't always been easy. Speaking to The Sunday Times, he declared he has struggled with mental health throughout his life. "Depression. From a very early age, when I was, like, 13. I think it was the pressure of the racing and struggling at school. The bullying. I had no one to talk to."
The announcement triggered an outpouring of support, including from one of the leading figures at the mental health charity Mind. The topic has also reached Hamilton's former rivals. In the Sky Sports podcast, Davidson commented on the news.
“Lewis has had a real positive impact on the sport. He’s got that authority as a seven-time World Champion – whatever topic he chooses to talk about, people are going to listen, and he’s an intelligent human being anyway. I’ve grown up in the kart tracks with Lewis. I’ve been around him my whole life, I saw him arrive in those paddocks as an eight-year-old kid and as a trailblazer in our sport, an absolute trailblazer, and hats off to him. So for now, to be talking openly about mental health, and it saddens me, in many ways. I’m kind of proud he has come out and touched on mental health," Davidson said.
Hamilton helps others open up
"It saddens me to think of all those days that I spent with him at the kart tracks, that he was going through that, but now he’s in a position where he feels like he can talk about it. I’ve suffered with anxiety issues, like real crippling anxiety in my days as a driver, and there was more to do with mental health, with health anxiety, which left me having panic attacks inside the car at times, and it’s awful. And for Lewis Hamilton to be talking about this, gives me the confidence to be able to talk about it as well," Davidson added.