Lewis Hamilton mentioned he “misplaced a bit of bit of religion” within the honest policing of System One after lacking out on final 12 months’s title in controversial circumstances on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Hamilton was crushed to the 2021 title by Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi after race director Michael Masi bent the FIA’s personal guidelines to make sure a security automobile restart on the ultimate lap that handed a big benefit to Verstappen.
The Mercedes driver didn’t converse to media after the race after which opted to not publish on social media for 2 months whereas he “unplugged and switched off” over the winter.
At Mercedes’ 2022 automobile launch on Friday, Hamilton made his first look in entrance of media for the reason that Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and whereas he mentioned he had not thought of retiring from F1 on the finish of final 12 months, he had revaluated his relationship with the game.
“In fact, I feel on the finish of a season you suppose [about the future] and the query is whether or not you are prepared to commit the time, the hassle it takes to be a world champion,” he mentioned.
“I feel lots of people underestimate what it takes to be a world champion and there are such a lot of transferring components. It’s not simply turning up and driving the automobile.
“So the query is, do you need to sacrifice the time, do you imagine you possibly can proceed to punch on the weight you are punching, and in order that’s a traditional psychological course of for me. In fact this one was compounded by a big issue, and I feel finally a sport I’ve beloved my entire life, there was a second the place I clearly misplaced a bit of bit of religion inside the system.
“However I’m usually a really decided individual and I might wish to suppose to myself… whereas moments like this would possibly outline others’ profession I refuse to let this outline mine. So I targeted on being the most effective I may be and coming again stronger.”
On Thursday, the FIA introduced structural modifications to the “refereeing” of the game in response to the occasions in Abu Dhabi. Masi has been faraway from his function as race director and further help will probably be given to his replacements so as to take stress off race management.
Requested if his religion can be restored by the modifications, Hamilton mentioned: “I might most likely put religion and belief alongside one another. Belief clearly may be misplaced within the blink of an eye fixed or the flick of a finger, however to earn belief is one thing that is constructed over a protracted, lengthy time period.
“This primary announcement yesterday is probably step one of that, but it surely does not essentially change every thing simply but. We now have to see precise motion.
“I feel it can take a little bit of time. I am probably not targeted essentially on that space in the intervening time. I am simply placing completely each ounce of my vitality and time into ensuring that I am the most effective you have ever seen.”
He added: “It is good to see the FIA are making steps, accountability is vital, we have now to make use of this second to verify this by no means occurs to anybody else within the sport ever once more.
“We have to, even every thing mentioned by the FIA, I welcome that, however we have now to verify we preserve an in depth eye and are seeing these modifications and guidelines are utilized pretty and precisely, persistently.”
Hamilton mentioned he would come again stronger this 12 months and warned his rivals that he can be on higher type this season than he was on the finish of 2021 when he gained three of the final 4 races.
“I really feel nice, I really feel match,” he added.
“Naturally when you will have an additional 12 months of expertise that at all times helps. I at all times really feel like by way of these kinds of experiences you possibly can flip that emotion into energy and energy, it is what I am doing, placing into my coaching, into my work with the women and men right here. For those who thought what you noticed on the finish of final 12 months was my finest, wait till you see this 12 months.”