Sebastian Vettel announced that he will retire from F1 at the end of this season, and Lewis Hamilton sees this as the end of an era.
Vettel is one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time. He won four consecutive World Titles between 2010 and 2013, in an era that saw no other team come close to his or Red Bull’s might.
After leaving the Milton-Keynes-based outfit, he joined Ferrari and is currently driving for Aston Martin. At the end of this campaign, however, he will retire from F1, leaving behind his legacy as a legend of the sport.
Alongside Vettel, Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are other legends who are part of the F1 grid today. They have a combined total of nine World Championships to their name, but age is finally catching up to them.
Hamilton and Alonso are still on the top of their game. In spite of that. the former feels that there will soon be a time even they won’t be in the sport, and that will truly bring an end to a glorious era.
Lewis Hamilton will soon be oldest driver on the grid
Alonso is now 41-years-old. The Spaniard will join Aston Martin next season, on a multi-year deal, and may be in the sport for the next few years at the very least. However, his long term presence in F1 is not guaranteed.
As a result, Hamilton, who is 37-years-old, may become the oldest remaining driver in the grid.
“I think it’s a reminder that I’m in that part of my career where people that I came up with and raced with for so long will start to stop,” he said.
#F1: Lewis Hamilton after Vettel’s announcement: “I think it’s a reminder that I’m in that part of my career where people that I came up with and raced with for so long will start to stop. Before you know it, Fernando will not be here. And then, who was there after that?
— deni (@fiagirly) August 10, 2022
“Before you know it, Fernando will not be here. And then, who was there after that? I’ll be the oldest I guess! But, no, it’s not made me think about that.”
In spite of still performing very well, Hamilton insists he can’t guarantee anything about his future in F1. He admitted that he will retire from the sport before he is completely burnt out.
Also read: Why McLaren prefers to pay off $21 Million to Daniel Ricciardo than keep him for 2023 season
