Lewis Hamilton reveals he nearly quit F1 season early ahead of Las Vegas Grand Prix – ‘It’s frustrating’
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he considered quitting the current F1 season early following his poor performance at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
But the Stevenage-born racer says he’s fully committed to the cause as his time with Mercedes draws to a close.
Hamilton has won two races this season, which is more than he’s managed across the previous two campaigns combined.
Yet he’s still struggled to compete with the likes of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, with the Brazilian GP certainly a low point.
Hamilton could only finish 10th and, in the immediate aftermath of the event, fuelled talk he could quit early by thanking staff for their work.
“That was a disaster of a weekend, guys. The worst the car has ever been,” he said over the team radio.
“Thank you for contributing to try and great job to all the guys at the pit-stop.
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“If this is the last time I get to perform it was a shame it wasn’t great but (I am) grateful for you.”
And Hamilton has now admitted he was genuinely considering leaving Mercedes early, with the veteran poised to race for Ferrari in 2025.
“In the moment that’s how I felt, like I didn’t really want to come back after that weekend,” he said.
“That’s only natural. It’s frustrating when you have a season like this, which I’m pretty sure I won’t have again, or at least I’ll work towards not having again.
“It wasn’t a great feeling in that moment, but I’m here, I’m standing strong and I’m going to give it absolutely everything for these last few faces.”
Hamilton also admitted that he could quite happily go on a holiday following his struggles in South America.
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But he insists he’s happier now compared to before as he looks to end his time with the Silver Arrows on a high.
“Honestly, I have had an amazing last week with lots of other projects I have been working on, like the F1 movie,” he continued.
“In the heat of the moment, I would much rather be on the beach and chilling, thinking I don’t need to do this, but I’m here and I love this job.
“I’m here to give it my all in these last few races and finish strong. That was always the plan.”
Last year, Verstappen cruised to glory in Las Vegas as the Red Bull driver fended off competition from Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez.
Hamilton could only finish seventh, with team-mate George Russell forced to settle for eighth.