Lewis Hamilton has candidly talked about his on-track struggles in recent years, which also involved a high degree of self-criticism. Besides calling out his team’s inability to resolve their issues, the seven-time world champion has often doubted his ability to maximize the car’s potential. Former strategist Ruth Buscombe, however, feels that it is “human” for Hamilton to feel this way.
Speaking on the Fast and the Curious podcast, Buscombe discussed the challenging balance Hamilton is trying to maintain between his mental health and on-track issues. She noted that the 39-year-old is reacting in a way any person would when facing a difficult phase in their personal or professional life.
“Sometimes you feel on top of the world like we got this, some other times we suffer from self-confidence and question whether or not we are good enough. I had a conversation with him in February, and he had imposter syndrome, Buscombe said.
The former Ferrari strategist highlighted that she felt better about her vulnerabilities after hearing how Hamilton also behaved and reacted in a similar way. She also emphasized the importance of the British driver speaking about his mental health struggles.
She mentioned that mental health is the leading cause of death in men under the age of 30 in the UK. Therefore, a figure like Hamilton breaking the stigma and advocating for the fight against it is a game changer and much-needed for society.
#F1 | Lewis Hamilton for The Sunday Times Style:
“When I was in my twenties I had some really difficult phases. I mean, I’ve struggled with mental health throughout my life.”
“Depression. From a very early age, when I was, like, 13. I think it was the pressure of the racing and… pic.twitter.com/E5hBfshfEr
— deni (@fiagirly) September 28, 2024
Nevertheless, Buscombe hoped that Hamilton’s experience with imposter syndrome wasn’t true and that her observation would be proven wrong. The Mercedes driver never admitted to having imposter syndrome but has often made self-doubting comments, particularly during his struggles since 2022.
Hamilton wants people to open up about mental health
In 2024, Hamilton opened up a lot about his personal battles, particularly during his formative years in school and karting. The seven-time world champion revealed how he suffered from depression during his early teens owing to the bullying and discriminatory comments he encountered.
“I think it was the pressure of the racing and struggling at school. The bullying. I had no one to talk to,” he said. Back then, he would have swallowed his vulnerabilities to fight with these obstacles and went on with his pursuit of becoming a champion racer.
It was in 2020, when Hamilton started to focus on resolving his old mental trauma, by seeking out a therapist. While it did not work out with one therapist he spoke to, he is keen on finding another one to achieve some mental peace about his past struggles.
