As one of the oldest drivers on the grid, Lewis Hamilton is fast approaching his 40th birthday after nearly eighteen seasons. Few drivers, with the exception of the ever-present Fernando Alonso, have stayed in the sport for so long. Hamilton occasionally contemplates retirement, but not before he has extracted everything he can from Formula 1.
With his eighteen seasons, one hundred and five race victories, and seven world championships, Lewis Hamilton has built a glittering career. Even without a record-breaking eighth title to his name, the 39-year-old Brit has more than earned his retirement. In a conversation with Esquire, he discussed life in Formula 1 and his future plans. When will Hamilton hang up his racing suit?
“There are days when I think, damn, ‘I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up,'” revealed a candid Lewis Hamilton. “Sometimes I would like to take a break – during the season you don’t really get time for a big break, as is the case in other sports. There isn’t much time to rest. I do have a kind of mental plan of how long I want to continue.”
‘Everything in its Time’
“You just have to be strategic,” explained Lewis Hamilton. “Everything in its time. Will there ever be a moment when I no longer go all out, and I just don’t love it anymore? I hope not. But I do know when to stop. For now, I want to make sure I really get the most out of it and can still fully enjoy the sport I’ve practiced my whole life.”
“There are so many people who have ended their careers prematurely,” he added. “Many of them wish they could have continued for another year or two. They advise me, ‘Stay in as long as you can!’ But if I’m not good enough anymore, I do want to stop,” concluded Hamilton. For now, we can still enjoy several more seasons of the seven-time world champion. Earlier this year, he signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari.
