Hamilton: ‘I never said I would quit’

Lewis Hamilton remained silent on all online and offline communication channels after the Abu Dhabi GP Sunday about the events that put the 2021 title against him, but on Friday he broke his silence during the presentation of the new Mercedes W13 – with which he aiming for victory at the eighth World Cup in 2022.

The Brit denied ever considering leaving, despite the fact that the team’s manager Toto Wolf said so himself days after the game in Abu Dhabi. And he confirmed that the aim of the entire Brockley team is to continue winning the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles in 2022.

“I never said I would quit” stressed Lewis.”I love what I do and it is a great privilege to work with such a large group of people. You feel part of a family, a team, we all work for the common goal. There is no other feeling like this“.

The Briton explained his feelings after last year’s dramatic and controversial final in Abu Dhabi by saying: “It was obviously a difficult time for me, a time when I needed to step back and devote myself. I had my family around me, we had beautiful moments, and that’s how I got to the point where I decided I was ready to attack another year working with Toto [Βολφ] and George [Ράσελ].

It’s fascinating that George came and brought all his energy. I can already feel that in the entire team. I think it will be an exciting year. In the beginning I didn’t set myself any real goals, but I think everyone on this team has been working towards the big goal of the World Cup.

Again, it all has to do with how high you can raise the bar and achieve something that no one has achieved before. We have eight now [διαδοχικά πρωταθλήματα κατασκευαστών] and we must move on to the next‘ added the 37-year-old.

Hamilton’s comments come a day after the FIA ​​announced that Michael Massey, the GP race director who made controversial safety car decisions in the final laps of the race in Abu Dhabi, had resigned and taken on another position had taken over in the FIA.

But yesterday, speaking to the BBC, Toto Wolf clarified that Hamilton would remain in F1 this year even if Massi had retained the position of race director in the GP: “I was never afraid that Lewis wouldn’t continue. Although it should be noted that the driver may be disappointed shortly after such events, we have a strong team offering strong support. So I knew he would come back.

It had nothing to do with the GM or anyone else. It had to do with Lewis’ decision to compromise on the ending [το περσινό πρωτάθλημα]. For him it was a matter of justice, of sporting rivalry, and it didn’t happen. It took him a while to think and now he’s back, it’s possible and I see he’s in a good mood too‘ said the Austrian.

Speaking about the impact of the Abu Dhabi race on the team and the seven-time British World Champion, the Director of Mercedes F1 added: “It was a shock to all of us – I mean, we’re in Formula 1, not on the world stage. For the microcosm we live in, it was shocking. We’ve never seen anything like it.

So Lewis had to go and clear his head, think of something else and then start working on it and trying to find solutions. A spiritual solution for himself. He was the best that Sunday – not just the best, he was the absolute master of the game. And then, by a single person’s decision, against the rules, they were stripped of everything. So it’s very difficult to accept something like that“.

When asked about the topic in today’s W13 presentation, the Austrian emphasized: “It is encouraging that we have seen some action being taken. The structure is now more robust and the race director has more support“.