Lewis Hamilton offers insight into post-F1 plans as 'sabbatical' idea considered
Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton has offered an insight into what he might do once he hangs up his Formula One helmet.
Lewis Hamilton has floated the idea of taking a sabbatical from motorsport once he calls time on his Formula One career. The seven-time world champion insists that he cannot imagine himself not driving a vehicle in a hint that he will continue in motosport long after leaving F1.
Hamilton turned 39 earlier in January and may not have much longer to chase a record eighth World Championship. Although he says winning another title - which would put him ahead of Michael Schumacher - would not necessarily prompt him to retire.
The Briton says he struggles to imagine a world in which he is not racing, and therefore believes taking a sabbatical from the sport would be the ideal path to take after his time in F1 comes to an end. It would allow Hamilton to realise if he misses racing and whether he wants to enter a new formula.
“I never said that an eighth title would be the end point. And I don't know what follows after driving in Formula One,” the Mercedes star told Formula 1 Magazine ahead of the 2024 season.
“I don't necessarily feel the desire to remain active in Formula One any longer, but as I said before: never say 'never'. I can't imagine not riding anymore and still being in a pit box somewhere.
“I would probably think: 'I could stick with it for another year, then I can still participate.' So it would probably be better to take a sabbatical and then see if I would still like to come back.”
Hamilton will hope for a far better 2024 World Championship than he fared in 2023 and 2022. Mercedes have struggled with performance issues that have prevented Hamilton and team-mate George Russell from producing any consistency.
The F1 icon will find the likes of Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso in his way as he battles for a record-breaking World Championship. It was put to Hamilton that he, Verstappen and Alonso were the best drivers on the grid.
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He responded: “I think that not only we, but all drivers in Formula One are extremely driven. Just for different reasons. Different upbringings, different opportunities, different challenges.
“But I see many similarities with all these drivers and also with younger drivers from Formula Two and Formula Three, for example. I think Max and Fernando have one thing in common with me: we are all extremely competitive.
“We go to great lengths to achieve what we want. I can't say much about what they are like as a person. I only know them from the Formula One world, it is not the case that I visit them, for example.”