Lewis Hamilton says he's heading into the 2022 F1 season reinvigorated by his winter break, but also with a steely determination fueled in part by the hardship endured at the end of last season.
Hamilton put to rest this week the lingering speculation regarding his future in F1, reporting for duty at the Mercedes team's base this week in Brackley fit and well, and raring to go.
The seven-time world champion made clear that during his winter break, he never seriously considered walking away from F1 after losing the 2021 title in shabby circumstances in Abu Dhabi.
But the massive disappointment suffered at Yas Marina and the ensuing grievances did leave him with more questions than usual during his two-month break.
"Of course, at the end of seasons you think, and the question is whether you're willing to commit the time and the effort that it takes to be a world champion," he said at Friday's launch at Silverstone of Mercedes' 2022 car.
"I think a lot of people underestimate what it takes to be a world champion. And there are so many moving parts. It's not just turning up and driving the car.
"The question is, do you want to sacrifice the time? Do you believe that you can continue to punch at the weight that you're punching? So that's a normal kind of mental process for me.
"But of course, this one was compounded by a significant factor. And I think ultimately, with a sport that I've loved my whole life, there was a moment where I kind of obviously lost a little bit of faith within the system.
"But I'm generally a very determined person. And I like to think to myself like whilst moments like this might define careers, I refuse to let this define mine.
"And so I'm focused on being the best I can be and coming back stronger."
Hamilton revealed that having his entire family at his side during part of the off-season was a big comfort.
"I really just unplugged, switched off," he said. "Firstly, on one side, I deserve to be able to switch off at the end of the year anyway.
"But I had my whole family around me. It was actually a rare occasion where we were absolutely all together, and I just focused on being present with them.
"What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so I put my focus into just training, getting healthy and enjoying the time off because it goes quickly."
©Instagram/LewisHamilton
The 37-year-old said that he ultimately turned his Abu Dhabi frustrations into positive elements that will allow him to return to the fray as an even stronger force to be reckoned with this season.
"I always feel like through these sorts of experiences you can turn that emotion into strength and into power, and that’s what I’m doing," he said.
"I’m putting that into my training and putting that into the work that I have with the men and women here in this team.
"If you think what you saw at the end of the last year was my best, wait till you see this year."
Lewis Hamilton rivals, you have been warned!
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