«Verstappen stole the 2021 World Cup from me. But that day I found my father» – Corriere.it

by Salvatore Riggio

Lewis Hamilton gave a long interview to GQ: «If I review the footage of Abu Dhabi 2021 it continues to hurt. But from that moment on I brought home something precious: the presence of my father. We had ups and downs, but on the worst day he was there.”

Lewis Hamilton will race for Ferrari from 2025, ready for a new chapter in his life as a champion, but he has never forgotten the 2021 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, when he lost the world title, won by Max Verstappen on board of his Red Bull. «Did they rob me? It was noticeable. If I watch the footage again, it still hurts. But I am at peace with myself”, said the seven-time world champion (103 victories in 18 years in the Circus) in the long interview given to GQ magazine.

From that moment, however, he brought home something precious, the presence of his father: «We had gone through the roller coaster of life together, with ups and downs. And the day that hurt me the most, he was there.” At the end of the Grand Prix, «naturally I went to congratulate Max, without realizing the negative repercussions resulting from what had happened, but I was also aware of the existence of a mini-me watching me. It was the defining moment of my life. And I think it really was. I didn’t know how I was going to absorb it. I hadn’t realized it yet.”

After analyzing the past, we need to think about what will happen in 2025, with the landing in Maranello: «I have never started a year thinking about the next one – continued Hamilton -. They’ve always asked me where I see myself in five years, but I’ve never had such a broad horizon. Moving to Ferrari was one of my intentions. Perhaps it was a more unconscious desire, linked to the early period of my life, but it has always been an important goal for me.” And here’s the present: «I’m training harder than I ever have. My commitment to the team is exactly the same as in previous years: I want to win. My approach remains the same until the end. I don’t let myself be distracted by what happens next.”

In Hamilton’s life there is not only F1: «I realized that working doesn’t bring happiness: you have to find a balance in life. So I discovered that I was, in fact, quite unhappy. So I had the opportunity to experience first-hand what fashion is, putting in a lot of effort. After that I went to the track and felt completely free.” In the past, Hamilton has challenged the prejudice of fans and even team managers: «In 2018, before the Singapore GP, I went to New York for a party. Not optimal preparation for a race weekend. I had to be very careful about my behavior, even though I wasn’t out and about until late at night. Then I arrived in Singapore and had one of the best races ever. I showed Niki Lauda (an important figure in the Mercedes team, ed.) that I could manage both things. First Niki said to Toto Wolff: “You can’t let Lewis behave like this! He is not in the style of a pilot ”». Instead, she made everyone think again.

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April 2, 2024 (modified April 2, 2024 | 5:19 pm)

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2024-04-02 15:33:11
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