It is fair to say that Lewis Hamilton hasn’t experienced such a stern challenge for the Formula 1 World Championship as this year’s, but he admits that he expected it to be a rollercoaster ride with Max Verstappen.
The seven-time F1 World Champion was speaking in an interview with Sky Sports F1, ahead of the 2021 United States Grand Prix, a race he was considered a favorite to win, yet finished second to title rival Max Verstappen, after Red Bull and their lead driver turned the table on the reigning champion and his team.
Now 12 points behind the Dutchman, Hamilton reflected on his title charge this year.
“I expected it was going to be a rollercoaster ride,” he admitted. “It’s been amazing, it’s been the hardest year on so many levels, but there’s been so many positives and I have really, really enjoyed it, even the difficult days.
Being the perfectionist, the Briton rued some missed opportunities saying: “It definitely could be better in the sense that we’ve dropped points, we’ve not always been perfect, but you live and you learn and I feel like things happen the way they happen for a reason and we’ve learnt a lot, we’ve pulled together after all these experiences we’ve had, win or lose, and I love the place I am in with my team.”
Lately Hamilton has been leading the charge against racism, while promoting diversity and inclusion, with his team engaged as well, an experience the 36-year old savours.
“Particularly the things we’re doing off-track together,” he revealed. “I’ve always been proud of my team an what we’ve achieved together [on the track], but this push that we’ve started on diversity and inclusion, kind of being that pebble that creates an effect that hopefully others follow in the industry has been something I’m so proud to be a part of.”
The winner of a record-breaking 100 races has previously hinted that Verstappen, his title rival, is feeling the pressure in the heat of battle, as the Red Bull driver targets his first ever Drivers’ Title.
Verstappen has since brushed off these comments, and the Hamilton says that’s not how he goes along with his business.
“I don’t spend a moment thinking what might or what might not be a distraction for him, that doesn’t bother me either way,” he pointed out. “If I do my job to the best of my abilities, I don’t have a problem.
“That’s how I approach my job,” Hamilton insisted, before going on to compare his first title charge to Verstappen’s.
“My first title? It was horrendous,” he said. “The journey was terrible, but he’s what, six years in? I was in my second year.
“I didn’t have a great structure around me in terms of management, I didn’t have help to know how to handle all these curveballs sent at me.
“I didn’t have all the experience, I didn’t have all the tools – except the ones in the car – but I was learning all these other tools in order to how to be a great team-mate, work with a group of people and help them elevate, and all these kind of things. Which was different for me then.
Hamilton though feels that these early difficulties have made him a better person and driver.
“I’m grateful I’ve had the experiences, I know how to build my team, I know how to win with my team and I know how to enjoy the ups and downs with my team,” he concluded.
The next race will be in Mexico, where Red Bull and Verstappen are expected to be strong, as they have historically been there.
Hamilton however, will be definitely throwing everything at it, in his bid to claw back the 12-point deficit to his rival, with his eyes firmly on the target; his record breaking eighth F1 Drivers’ Crown.
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