Lewis Hamilton hopes his victory within the British Grand Prix will assist him transfer on from the influence of the 2021 season after admitting it has taken him longer to recover from than he thought.
Final Sunday’s win at Silverstone was Hamilton’s first for the reason that 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the penultimate spherical of a fierce championship battle with Max Verstappen. Hamilton was comfortably main the ultimate race that season and heading in the right direction to be champion when the inaccurate utility of the principles led to a closing lap restart, with Verstappen overtaking Hamilton to win the title.
After admitting he was significantly emotional after successful at Silverstone attributable to doubts he’d had about whether or not he would win once more, Hamilton says it has taken him longer to maneuver on from how the game handled the 2021 controversy.
“I feel solely time will inform,” Hamilton mentioned. “What I can say is that I’m not giving up. I really feel like I’m making the proper selections with my life, with how I put together and the way I handle my time; the choice I’ve taken, for instance, for subsequent 12 months, the dedication I nonetheless need to this staff and the love that I nonetheless have for this staff and the love that I nonetheless have for my job.
“I actually, actually love this job. There’s by no means going to be something that comes near it. And it’s one thing I’m extremely grateful for, to be in amongst these 20 drivers inside this nice sport that’s having such a momentous time. We simply had the launch of the trailer of the [“F1”] film…
“Truthfully, after I got here again in 2022, I believed that I used to be over it. And I do know I wasn’t and it’s taken a very long time for certain to heal that sort of feeling. That’s solely pure for anybody that has that have. And I’ve simply been persevering with to try to work on myself and discover that inside peace daily.”
Hamilton says the truth that Mercedes had not been overly aggressive within the time since his final victory made it a good more durable time to deal with, with Purple Bull dominating the vast majority of that spell.
“It’s been such a very long time. Somebody simply informed me 946 days or one thing like that for the reason that final win. Actually difficult,” he mentioned. “A troublesome time, clearly, 2021 after which coming again with a automobile that we’ve not been in a position to combat with for the final couple of years. It’s been extremely mentally difficult, I feel, for everybody within the staff.
“However simply understanding how arduous everybody’s continued to work, understanding how I’ve managed simply to maintain my head in it, after which with the whole lot that’s occurred this 12 months as nicely, with so many feelings this 12 months, asserting that I’m leaving and on the identical time beginning with a automobile that we didn’t really feel that we may win with, to then lastly be in a spot the place we win — and never solely that however on the British Grand Prix in entrance of my dwelling crowd…
“Truthfully, it’s probably the most unbelievable honor to be standing on the highest of the rostrum and listening to the nationwide anthem with the King’s title in it, for instance. It’s the primary time I’ve had that.”
