Last week, in F1 Saudi qualifying, seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in the first quarter of grand prix qualifying for the first time since 2017. In addition to the design flaws in the power units of Mercedes-Benz racing cars, Hamilton's subtle change in mentality towards f1 racing is also one of the main reasons for this situation.
Hamilton has said he "lost faith at one point" in the fairness of Formula One after missing out on the 2021 F1 driver title in a controversial situation at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Hamilton was defeated by Verstappen in Abu Dhabi last year, failed to win the 2021 F1 championship, and the fidelity of the FIA director at the time, Michael Massey, failed to properly enforce the FIA rules, so that the safety car did not restart the race until the last lap, which gave Verstappen a great advantage.
The Mercedes driver did not speak to any media after the race, then turned down all outside interviews during the winter, choosing not to post on any social media for two months.
Hamilton said: "I think a lot of people underestimate what it takes to be a world champion, in addition to driving, drivers also need to have a healthy mind and a strong will. ”
Hamilton appeared in the media for the first time since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Mercedes' 2022 car launch on Friday, and while he said he did not consider retiring from F1 at the end of last year, he reassessed his relationship with the sport.
"Of course, I think at the end of the season, the question that comes to mind is whether you're willing to continue to invest time, put in the energy, try to control your weight and become a world champion again," he said. So for me, it's a normal mental process. Sure, it's a combination of multiple important factors, and I think it's a sport I've loved all my life, but for a while I was clearly shaken by the F1 environment. ”
Hamilton concluded: "But I'm usually a very determined person and I want to say to myself that while moments like these may define someone else's career, I refuse to let these kinds of events define my career." So I'm going to focus on doing the best I can and getting stronger. ”
This week, the FIA has cancelled Michael Massey's decision to serve as Formula One's director. His position has been replaced by two people who will alternate the work. In addition, video-assisted referees will also be introduced to F1 events.