Hamilton hesitated: 'Started to wonder if I was still in the right place'

18:50, 18 Aug 2021
22 Comments
For a while, there was the question if Lewis Hamilton would drive at all this year. When it was announced that he would fight for the championship again this year, the rumours started about a possible farewell after this season. Thanks to his contract earlier this year, the Brit will still drive a Mercedes until 2023.
The current title battle with Max Verstappen proves that Hamilton has made the right choice for the time being. Speaking to The Express, the Briton says he has, however, given some thought to retiring.
"You have to do what you are passionate about and what you enjoy. For me personally, there was a point where it all got too serious and so I started to ask myself if I was still right. It's true that I'm in a very competitive environment, but when the visor goes down and the car is started, I have the biggest smile, even after so many years in racing."

Hamilton stop when he stops smiling

And for now, according to Hamilton himself, that is not yet the case. Not even during this season, in which things didn't go well for a long time and the fight mostly took place off the track.
"We only have one life. You have to enjoy what you do. It's important to find pleasure in what you do and what you're doing every day. That's very important to me as well. The day I don't enjoy what I'm doing anymore when I don't get a smile, I know it's done. Then I have to do something else."
Hamilton will continue his hunt for his eighth world championship next weekend in Belgium. At Spa, he will be looking to continue his current form with his team.
22 Comments
HamUg 21 August 2021 at 14:52+ 217

Thisjokeisblog, is Bottas driving a different car from SLH? Currently RB is much faster to Mercedes, but Mercedes leads to standings, even a good car needs a great driver

Westley 21 August 2021 at 12:59+ 0

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Ndapera 20 August 2021 at 11:35+ 263

Its pathetic how people come on this chats and take time out to denigrate drivers who do what these people will never be able to attempt. I don't get the hate, it's sad and pathetic. Lewis is by the numbers the GOAT no brackets no asterisks same as max is talented. However both have the fastest cars in f1 hence their positions in the championship.

Mike Riley 19 August 2021 at 20:27+ 54

SLH has made less mistakes in his entire F1 career than boo hoo Max makes in half a season, what's more is that he learns something from every mistake that either he or his team makes. If Max were to learn from his own mistakes, he may, one day, (provided he has a far superior car), win a championship. Trouble is, Max seems incapable of learning anything, he still makes the same mistakes that he did in his first season. It takes more than just a bit of talent to keep winning throughout a season, there's no doubt that Max is hugely talented, i just doubt his ability to to keep a lid on his emotions when the chips are down. SLH, by contrast appears cooler than a frozen cucumber, and of course, has talent coming out of his ears. By the way, Ferrari should have won both 2017 and 2018 championships, had Seb not lost his mind due to the immense pressure applied by SLH. Redbull also look like they're starting to suffer a similar fate this season.

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Mech Engineer 19 August 2021 at 09:32+ 55266

With many fans turning away from you and being booed by fans, perhaps you should not have extended your contract for another two years and have 'gracefully' left the sport and let the younger generation of drivers fight it out among themselves in competitive cars for the next few years.

Aslam Khan 19 August 2021 at 11:48+ 1123

@Mech Engineer Only the bigots and the Dutch Max fans boo him. Real F1 fans love him. Your heartfelt advice for him is very moving - could it be that you know that while SLH is racing in F1, Max has 3 chances of winning the WDC - slim, very slim and you must be joking?

krishsud 19 August 2021 at 19:03+ 4806

What's the definition of "Real F1 fan"?
1)Are hamilton lovers only real f1 fans or max fans the only real f1 fans
2)is it too much praising of any of these drivers contribute to real f1 fans?I can understand if you call them driver fans or hardcore driver fans.
3)Or just comparing both these drivers on who is great or trolling both on every occasion is a real f1 fan?

Not sure..

Ndapera 20 August 2021 at 11:47+ 263

For all you know one team will emerge dominant so your argument is only hopeful thinking. That team maybe Alpine and there ain't no young guns there

HamUg 21 August 2021 at 14:47+ 217

Use your advice for your retirement. Boos are fuel for SLH.

Smashmouth 19 August 2021 at 08:49+ 41

So Verstappen is a great driver for sure but is he as good as Hamilton? What has Verstappen done to get the accolades he is currently getting? I must have missed something. Both appear better than their teammates but in Verstappens case sadly that doesn't say much.Only time will tell but Verstappen does appear to have potential. Hamilton however has proof and results and his name will be remembered forever. Somehow I don't think Verstappen will. But for mine go McLaren and Norris, will 2023 be the year that the Kiwi born car will re establish it's dominance in the hands of a very talented young driver?

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Stevesyd 19 August 2021 at 02:31+ 36119

Max has wiped the smile off his face more often than not this season. Alonso did more than that.
For as long as the paper champ is presented with a far superior car he will remain.

Matthew Lewis 19 August 2021 at 09:03+ 404

So going by your uneducated theory, almost every World Champion in Formula One is a paper champ, seeing as invariably they have the best car. Vettel, Alonso, Schumacher, Hill, Senna, Prost etc etc etc.

The Ferarri a couple of years ago was a far faster car (for reasons we all now know) than the Mercedes, yet Hamilton still won. By Red Bulls own admission, they have the best car this year, so if Hamilton wins this year, again he has done so in the 2nd best car.

HamUg 21 August 2021 at 14:53+ 217

Tired retort, the fact remains, SLH is leading

GoMclaren 18 August 2021 at 22:42+ 1765

If max wins this year I doubt lewis would retire after 23. I think he would keep ging on and on till he wins his 10th.

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Stevesyd 19 August 2021 at 02:47+ 36119

Hamilton is already struggling mentally with Max being the new pin up boy in F1. Mistakes galore are testimony to that.
Should Max win the WT this year the pain will be unbearable and he can then say he never fully recovered from Covid-19 as his out.

John Wilson 19 August 2021 at 08:10+ 364

Hamilton is beating him in an inferior car.

Verstappen is fast but he's simply not intelligent enough to make good, spur of the moment decisions. That's why Hamilton is smiling. He knows he's going to keep winning. ?

KDMH74 19 August 2021 at 20:30+ 10

Intellinge and race craft comes with time. It's a shame these 2 are at different ends of the spectrum regarding where their careers are at. I don't think LH will be racing when Max truly comes into his own, so we'll never really know who was the outright fastest.

HamUg 21 August 2021 at 14:42+ 217

And we don't have to. Comparisons of sportsmen from different eras is an exercise in futility

Aslam Khan 19 August 2021 at 11:35+ 1123

@Stevesyd, Quitting may be your style of dealing with failure. Remember 2016 - he didn't quit after Rosberg won. For somebody who is in a slower car AND "struggling mentally", he's seems to still be in with a decent chance of winning the championship. We'll know pretty soon who is struggling mentally - Horner and Marko are already losing their sh 1t and engaging in juvenile name calling etc to try to unsettle SLH.

Mota Signals 19 August 2021 at 18:00+ 3

You are a s.tu.pid man Steve what what..

Currymuncher 19 August 2021 at 18:02+ 15

Ag shame ....he is gonna win his right and your ass is gonna be on fire.shame man bro.that title and record gonna last a long time my Boy so suck it up and take it in .the Goat will be SLH number 44 for a long time

HamUg 21 August 2021 at 14:41+ 217

Problem with MV fans, is your voyeur mentality. SLH has made many mistakes, but still leads the championship. Sad for you ain't it