Lewis Hamilton has confessed he “massively underestimated” how difficult his emotional farewell to Mercedes can be forward of his closing race with the group in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
The 39-year-old, seven-time world champion shocked Formula One in February by asserting he would depart Mercedes, his long-time group since his go-karting days, to affix Ferrari on the finish of the yr.
While Mercedes has had time to regulate, signing 18-year-old Italian Kimi Antonelli as Hamilton’s substitute, the Briton advised reporters at Yas Marina that the transition has not been straightforward.
“I anticipated it would be difficult, but I massively underestimated how difficult it would be,” he mentioned.
“It was straining on the relationship very early on. It took time for people to get past it. And then, just for my own self, it’s been a very emotional year for me. And I think I’ve not been at my best in handling and dealing with those emotions.”
The winner of a report 105 races, together with two this season – certainly one of them at Silverstone – has struggled together with his automobile’s dealing with.
Questions have been raised about his pace as he approaches 40, with greater than 350 races beneath his belt.
Hamilton mentioned in Qatar final weekend he had “still got it.”
But his frustration, significantly in qualifying, the place teammate George Russell leads him 18-5, has been evident.
In Brazil, he even hinted he may not full the season.
Emotional closing GP
“I think you’ve all seen the worst of me and seen the best of me, and I’m not going to apologize for either because I’m only human and I don’t always get it right,” he mentioned in Abu Dhabi.
“I would definitely say this year’s been one of the worst in terms of handling that from my side, which I’ll work on trying to be better at. But I hope the good and the highs far outweigh the negatives and how I’ve handled it or behaved.”
Hamilton received six of his seven titles with Mercedes and will have had an eighth at Yas Marina in 2021 however for a controversial late change to the security automobile process whereas he was main. He has began 246 races with the group.
His achievements, as the one Black driver on the beginning grid, additionally embrace reworking Mercedes – and, by extension, the game – right into a extra racially numerous and welcoming setting.
Ferrari, the group that took Michael Schumacher to 5 of his seven titles, can be his third group since his 2007 debut with McLaren.
“I’m not looking at comparing myself to Michael. Not looking at that,” mentioned the Briton. “At the moment, that’s not something that I’m thinking about. I’m trying to think about making sure that I finish off the right way and the best way possible with Mercedes. These next days are going to be super-emotional.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com