During the Mercedes W13 launch, Lewis Hamilton spoke for the first time about what happened on the Abu Dhabi GP in 2021.
Finally returning after almost two months of silence, Lewis Hamilton said that he still struggles to comprehend how things turned out to be at the Abu Dhabi GP.
Hamilton was chasing his eighth title in the final race of the 2021 season but a late safety car incident got in the way. The FIA race director Michael Masi made some decisions that contravened the rules. As a result, Max Verstappen comfortably flew past Hamilton to claim his maiden title.
Following the controversial outcome of the Abu Dhabi GP, Hamilton took a break from social media. He said, “I just unplugged; I switched off.”
“I think I deserve to be able to switch off at the end of the year anyway, but I had my family around me, my whole family around me – it was actually a rare occasion where we’re absolutely all together and [I] just focused on being present with them.
“Obviously, [it] took time to digest what had happened which, I think, [it is] still difficult to fully understand everything. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
“I put my focus into just training, getting healthy, and enjoying the time off because it goes quickly.”
Lewis Hamilton refuses to let the controversy define his career
Following the chaos that occurred in the aftermath of the Abu Dhabi GP, the FIA recently announced a few structural changes. The governing body announced that the race director Michael Masi will be removed from his position.
Instead, two race directors will replace him and take the role alternatively throughout the 2022 season. Mercedes said that the actions that have been taken are very encouraging.
Furthermore, while Hamilton maintained silence for almost two months, he never had any intention of retiring. At first, he jokingly said, “I’ve considered retiring so many times!”
“Honestly, I haven’t. Of course, at the end of seasons, you think [about it], and the question is whether you’re willing to commit the time, the effort that it takes to be a World Champion.
“I think a lot of people underestimate what it takes to be a World Champion. There are so many moving parts; it’s not just turning up and driving the car.
“The question is, do you want to sacrifice the time? Do you believe that you can continue to punch at the weight that you’re punching? That’s a normal mental process for me but, of course, this one was compounded by a significant factor,” he further added.
Also Read: Toto Wolff welcomes the structural changes announced by the FIA ahead of the 2022 season
