Lewis Hamilton F1 News: Champion reveals main takeaway from RETIREMENT talks with 'greats'

Lewis Hamilton smiles alongside Serena Williams and Michael Jordan with goats in the background — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Legends

Hamilton reveals main takeaway from F1 RETIREMENT talks with 'greats'

Lewis Hamilton has revealed his key takeaway after discussing retirement with sport's biggest stars.

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Wednesday 10 April 2024 17:57

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Lewis Hamilton has revealed the ‘mistakes’ he wants to avoid when he retires from Formula 1, after talks with sporting ‘greats’.

The seven-time world champion recently admitted he considered retirement after losing the world title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021.

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Since then, Hamilton has not had the best of luck, with his Mercedes team falling behind their rivals after the 2022 regulation changes.

However, retirement could not be further from his mind following the announcement that he will be driving for Ferrari in 2025.

Lewis Hamilton lost the 2021 world title on the last lap to Max Verstappen in 2021

Lewis Hamilton with his future Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur

Hamilton discusses retirement with sporting ‘greats’

Alongside winning seven world titles in F1, Hamilton is known for his pursuits outside of motorsport.

He has been involved with fashion throughout his career, and will produce/star in Brad Pitt’s upcoming F1 film.

Hamilton’s desire to discover passions outside of motorsport arose from discussions with retired sports stars, including Serena Williams, Michael Jordan and Boris Becker.

“Talking to greats that I’ve met along the way, who are retired – or some that are still in competition – and the fear of what’s next, the lack of preparation for what’s next,” he said in an interview with GQ.

“A lot of them said: ‘I stopped too early.’ Or: ‘Stayed too long.’ ‘When it ended, I didn’t have anything planned.’ ‘My whole world came crashing down because my whole life has been about that sport.’

Hamilton reveals retirement advice from sports stars

“Some of them were like: ‘I didn’t plan and it was a bit of a mess-up because I was really lost afterwards'.

“There was such a hole. Such a void. And I had no idea how I was going to fill it. And I was in such a rush initially to try and fill it that you fill it with the wrong thing.

“'And you make a few mistakes. And then eventually you find your way.’ Some people took longer. Some people took shorter.

“But it just got my mind thinking about: OK, when I stop, how do I avoid that? And so I got serious about finding other things that I was passionate about.”

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix