Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Australia, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Legends

Hamilton admits 'unhappiness' despite reaching pinnacle of sport

The seven-time champion in an honest interview

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 3 April 2024 18:00

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that there was 'so much missing' from his life during the early days of his Formula 1 career.

The Brit is a seven-time world champion in the sport and is one of the most successful drivers of all time, having won the most races (103) and claimed the most pole positions (104) across a legendary career.

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Hamilton started his F1 career with McLaren in 2007, impressing in an incredible rookie season before winning his first championship in 2008.

Having suffered four seasons without adding to his championship haul, Hamilton decided to make the move to Mercedes, where he went on to win six more championships in his first eight seasons with the team.

Lewis Hamilton won his first championship in 2008

Lewis Hamilton has not won a race since 2021

Hamilton makes sad admission

The Brit lives a lavish lifestyle off-track, and is involved in multiple business ventures and charitable causes.

“When I first got into Formula 1, it was wake up, train, racing-racing-racing-racing, nothing else," he said.

"There’s no space for anything else. But what I realised is that just working all the time doesn’t bring you happiness, and you need to find a balance in life, and I found out that I was actually quite unhappy.”

“There was so much missing, there was so much more to me. And it was crazy, because I was like: 'I’m in Formula 1, I reached my dream, and I’m where I always wanted to be, I’m on top, I’m fighting for the championship'. But I was just not – it was not enjoyable.

“It’s almost like being in a snowglobe – that’s the racing world,” he continued.

“And there’s so much more outside of it that you just don’t have time to explore. I think if you go to an office every day and do the same process every single day, eventually you just zone out.

"You have to find something else that can soothe you, can keep your mind going.”

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Formula 1 McLaren