© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Former F1 driver Martin Brundle says he never thought Lewis Hamilton would not return in 2022, and adds he believes Lewis’ mindset is “don’t get angry, get even”.
During a Sky Sports F1 media call, Martin Brundle was asked if he thought there was a chance that Lewis Hamilton would not return to Formula 1 after the controversial finish of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“No, I don’t. I didn’t buy into that at all,” the Briton said.
“He’s in such great form. And what else are you going to do? Why would you walk away from the works Mercedes-Benz team?
“He obviously gets paid a bit of money, it’s what he loves doing, it’s what he’s best at. He’s a massive contender for greatest of all time.
“He always says, ‘I don’t look at the league tables’, but I’m sure he wants to leave every single league table with a new high tide mark, and I’ve always thought that.
“I think when I was asked on Sky Sports news actually, did I think Mercedes would pull out and did I think he would walk away, [I said] ‘absolutely 100 percent no’.
If you like SilverArrows.Net, consider supporting us by buying us a coffee!
“I didn’t buy it. I didn’t buy any of that, because I’m sure they were feverishly putting the 2022 car together at the factory and Lewis was just regrouping.”
Brundle adds he thinks Lewis will be “a force of nature” when he gets back behind the wheel this season.
“I think it’s ‘don’t get angry, get even’. We saw how well he and his dad handled it straight after the disappointment in Abu Dhabi.
“I can understand why he went on the missing list for a while on his social media. And I do think he’s back.
“He’s 37 years old, but it’s something I said on Sky many a time, from what I saw of his driving last year, he was driving as well as I’ve ever seen him.
“Clearly fitness is not an issue, and the drivers thankfully don’t get the big shunts these days with the broken bits and knocks on the head so much.
“So he’s physically in great shape and I think he’ll be a force of nature when he comes back,” Brundle concluded.
