Hamilton explains mindset behind 'giving up' post

Lewis Hamilton has expanded on his mindset when posting on social media that he was considering "giving up" amid concerns about the climate crisis.

Hamilton issued concerns about meat-eating diets and other environmental problems, drawing both praise and criticism.

The Formula 1 world champion says he has learned to live with the extra scrutiny that is placed upon his views about the world.

He told BBC Sport: "Most of the time, I wear my heart on my sleeve, so it was an emotional post, which is not always good to do. It just felt like I was banging my head against the wall and not gaining ground.

"There is a lot of push-back on a lot of things I do, and a lot of questioning of everything I do and say. You live your life under a magnifying glass. And the pressure for anyone that's in the limelight… we're only human, so at some stage you're going to buckle a little bit.

"But I always say it's not how you fall, it's how you get back up. And I really turned that negativity into a positive and came back and won that next race.

"And you'll probably see if you look back in the history of the times I've often had those difficult phases, I've often won the next races. That's where my strength lies."

He added: "I would say I have a very complex life. I'm sure we all have complex lives. But I can't talk about absolutely how complex it is.

"I am trying to be more open about that, as you'll see on my social. But there is a line where it's the limit and for me personally that one there was slightly over the limit.

"But I don't regret it. Because I think for those who are following me and are on this journey with me, I don't think showing vulnerability is always a bad thing. They can just see I'm human at the end of the day."

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