The 2023 season will certainly go down in the history books as among the worst in seven-time Formula 1 Champion Lewis Hamilton’s 16-year career. Despite beating everyone in the World Drivers’ Championship bar the two Red Bull teammates, he saw just six podiums from 22 races, his lowest ever in the sport. He scored just 234 points this year, which is his lowest points tally in a decade. That kind of performance will weigh on a guy who won six championships and 81 races between 2014 and 2021.
According to Hamilton, it was enough to make him doubt his ability to continue racing at the top level.
“Ultimately,” Hamilton said in an interview with the BBC, “when you have difficult seasons like this, there are always going to be moments when you’re like: ‘Is it me, or is it the car? Do you still have it? Has it gone?’
“Because you’re missing that, you know… when the magic happens, when everything comes together, the car and you, and that spark, it’s extraordinary. And that’s what you’re in the search for.”
“I’m only human,” continued the 38-year-old. “If anyone in the world tells you they don’t have those things, they’re in denial. We’re all human beings.”
Hamilton admits that he knew immediately he’d end another season without a win when he first drove this year’s Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 chassis. Following a terrible 2022 season, the driver’s first in F1 without a single victory, Hamilton knew the car had to make big sweeping changes for the 2023 season. At that first test session the new car didn’t feel any different to drive than it had the prior year. “I had asked for certain changes, and they weren’t done.”
“Having the experience of the previous year, I just applied myself, in terms of digging down, sitting with the guys. We were having much better meetings.
“I was able to stay a lot more positive during the year and be like: ‘It’s going to be a long season, but let’s not give up. Let’s keep pushing towards getting the maximum out of the car, whatever that may be.’
This season the Red Bulls, Max Verstappen, and Adrien Newey’s RB19 chassis just had the measure of the field. Max won 19 of 22 Grands Prix this year, and that kind of trouncing is just downright demoralizing. When the whole field is finishing half a minute down to Max at the checkered flag, it has to cross your mind that you just don’t have the talent anymore.
Hamilton gave a long and sweeping interview to the BBC, and it’s well worth reading. You should head over there now to check out the rest of what he had to say.