© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton dismisses talks of him quitting Formula 1 and says he doesn’t feel like he’s “at the end”.
Ever since it was announced that Lewis Hamilton signed a one-year deal with Mercedes, the media didn’t stop speculating about his possible retirement at the end of the year.
With Red Bull seemingly faster than Mercedes is pre-season testing, some are suggesting Lewis might decide to call it quits if he fails to win his eighth championship. At the Bahrain Grand Prix Thursday press conference Hamilton dismissed any such suggestions.
“The position I’m in has nothing to do with the car or we’re not winning a championship,” the Briton said.
“That’s not going to… I don’t quit when the going gets tough.
“I wanted a one-year deal, and yes, I said to Toto [Wolff] it would be good if we are to work on the future together that we should talk about it much earlier than January, just before pre-season testing starts.
“I’m fully committed to this sport. This sport is, I think, in the best place it’s been in terms of the steps we are taking.
“I’m really proud of what F1 is doing, acknowledging it has a better platform to work towards a better world, and I love what I’m doing.
“I’ve arrived more excited than I have in a long time. I just said to Bono [senior race engineer Pete Bonnington] that I’m excited to get going.
“We’re going to have a really great battle one way or another, and that’s what I’ve always loved.
“In the current position I’m in I don’t feel like this is the end. Of course, we’ve got these changes that are happening next year that are exciting.
“I think this [year] look looks like it could be the most exciting yet – we’ve got new teams, new formats, it’s closer.
“I don’t feel like I’m at the end, but over the next eight months or so, I’ll find out whether I’m ready to stop or not. I don’t think I will, personally, but you never know.”
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And speaking of Red Bull, the seven-time champion reiterated his opinion that Mercedes currently has the slower car.
“More often [in the past] we’ve had a better feeling with our car,” Hamilton said.
“It’s massively exciting I think for us as a team. We are currently not the fastest. How are we going to unite, how are we going to work together in order to get to where we want to be.
“I’m so excited to have that challenge. But again, seeing some of the other teams close I think it’s going to be great for the fans.
“But I love that collaboration with with the men and women in my team and trying to get to our common goal.
Ultimately, taking into account the shortest pre-season test to date, Lewis says the team is as prepared as it can be.
“I think we are in the best shape we can possibly be, considering that we only had three days of testing.
“There’s been a huge amount of analysis, the engineers and the guys back at the factory have a huge amount of data. But I think we come here, positive.
“I think there’s multiple teams that look really strong,” concluded Hamilton.
