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“Don’t Feel the Desire to Remain Active in F1”: Lewis Hamilton Makes Big Retirement Statement Despite Having Two More Years Contract Left
“Don’t Feel the Desire to Remain Active in F1”: Lewis Hamilton Makes Big Retirement Statement Despite Having Two More Years Contract Left
Lewis Hamilton is inching closer to joining the 40-year-old club as he turned 39 this year in January. Former teammate and rival Fernando Alonso is 42 and yet is performing like he never got older. Yet, the thought of retirement starts creeping into the minds of the fans and the driver himself. And recently, Lewis Hamilton made a big retirement statement as he opened up about his record-breaking, and now mythical-looking 8th championship.
The 2021 Abu Dhabi GP and what happened at the end is a very controversial topic. Many suggest that the 8th title was stolen from Hamilton while others opine that everyone should accept the official results. Nonetheless, one thing is for sure: Lewis Hamilton isn’t backing out and is still keen on winning the eighth title. This fight was visible in his words while making the announcement of the Mercedes contract extension, as he explained that still had unfinished business left.
Lewis Hamilton Makes Big Retirement Statement
However, Mercedes hasn’t been able to provide a competitive car to the Briton in the last 2 years. And with Red Bull starting development of the RB20 much earlier, the hopes are slim for Mercedes in 2024. How long will Hamilton wait for Mercedes to provide him the car to challenge for the title? The Briton isn’t getting any younger. Retirement must be something that will be on his mind. This big question of retirement was put forward to Hamilton in a recent interview.
In an interview with Formule1.nl, Hamilton was asked whether winning the 8th title would be the end of his career and if he has any plans in F1 post-driving retirement. The Briton replied, “I never said that an eighth title would be the endpoint. And what follows driving in Formula 1, I don’t know. I don’t necessarily feel the desire to stay in Formula 1 any longer, but as I said before: never say ‘never’.”
Explaining how he’d rather be in an F1 and race rather than being around, he added, “I can’t imagine that I don’t drive anymore and still find myself in a pit box somewhere. I would probably think: ‘I could add another year, then I can still participate.’ So it’s probably better to take a sabbatical and then see if I would like to come back.”
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Nonetheless, when the rumors around the Lewis Hamilton Mercedes contract were going around, it was rumored that the Briton had asked Mercedes for a 10-year contract as an ambassador role post-retirement. But as advised, it was just a rumor. Hamilton also opened up about his non-F1 plans post-retirement.
Lewis Hamilton, in partnership with Monster, recently jumped out of a plane. Monster did give Hamilton a parachute in comparison to Red Bull, which gives you wings. The Briton loves adventure sports like Skydiving and Surfing. And that seems to be his post-retirement plans. The Briton also went adventure riding on his dirt bike during the 2023 summer break.
Lewis Hamilton talking about his post F1 career plans said, “I love watching races like Le Mans, it looks incredible. I love Moto, I’ve always loved MotoGP. I still do. I’ve got two superbikes. I think I’ll ride motorbikes, but not competitively. I’ve got lots of other things to do, I don’t think I’ll be doing any more competitions, at least not as a professional. It takes too much time. I’ll continue parachute jumping and surfing.”
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Ferrari warned Lewis Hamilton will cause internal drama
A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
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Listen to Chase Elliott, No. 9 team react to pace car crash at Phoenix in 2024
Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Exposes NASCAR’s Hidden Truth: The Pressure Turns Champions Miserable
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
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