At 39, Formula 1 icon Lewis Hamilton has expressed concerns about the longevity of his racing career, pointing to the uncertainties and challenges that come with competing at the highest level of the sport. During a conversation with Esquire, Hamilton expressed a mix of resilience and concern about the future: “I definitely do. There are days when I think, crap, I don’t know how much longer I can go on,” he admitted.
Hamilton explained the enormous demands of the F1 calendar, which offers little downtime compared to other sports.
“There are days when I think: crap, I wish I had a break, a real break, because like other sports, there is no real break in the season. You don’t finish until mid or late December and then training starts again in January,” he explained. This relentless routine includes twice-daily training sessions and extra hours for therapy, leaving little time for rest.
However, the Brit is not ready to end his illustrious career. He plans to “keep racing well into his 40s” and is set to move from Mercedes to Ferrari next year, so his journey in Formula 1 is far from over.
“I have a plan in my head of which direction I want to expand in. I just need to develop a strategy and put things in an order. I’m very concerned with the order, for example, I look at brands I work with, companies I’m basically starting, how I’m going to divide my time between all of that and how I can continue to dedicate myself to this job.
“Is there a moment when I’m not fully into it and just don’t love it anymore? That’s the moment that hopefully never comes, in the sense that I don’t love it anymore. But I’ll know when to stop.
“I want to make sure I really get the most out of it while I can and enjoy the sport I’ve played all my life to the fullest.”
The role of ageing and physical fitness in his career was another focus of discussion, with Hamilton comparing his current training regime to that of his younger self.
“When you’re 22, it’s so easy to train and be fit. You have no recovery period and you have nothing else to do, no other stress, no real obligations other than that one thing you have to do. Now it’s: how do you stay fit and do all the things you have to do and still be able to keep up with the young people in their 20s?”
The question of the right time to retire is complex and is peppered with advice from those who left the sport too early.
“There are so many people who have ended their careers early and I’ve spoken to many who have said they wish they could have continued for another year or two. And they say, ‘Stay in it as long as you can!’ But I don’t want to do it if I’m not good,” Hamilton noted. His philosophy is clear: he wants to quit on a high and still love the sport. “Is there a point in time when I’m not fully in it and just don’t love it anymore? That’s the moment that hopefully never comes. But I will know when to quit.”
