Formula 1 | The pandemic, a frightening and suffocating time for Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has been affected, and not just a little, by the coronavirus pandemic since its emergence: of course from an epidemiological point of view, since the Mercedes driver had contracted the virus before the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2020, which l ‘had left « KO » for a few days, possibly with long-term effects.

But also from the point of view of his life balance, with the daily precautions, and the end of Lewis’s regular trips to North America for example, it is the whole life of the “globetrotter” Hamilton that has been disrupted.

The Briton returns today to this period which unfortunately has not yet closed …

“I would say most of the pressure this season has been the pandemic. It really made a monumental difference in terms of isolation, whether or not you can be around people and isolate yourself and others. It was quite difficult … I would even say more difficult to find a balance in normal life, in and around your professional life. « 

“I’m still home alone, but thanks to the experience of the previous year, it can now be handled a bit better. In some places they loosen up the rules and it’s so easy to let your guard down and get in trouble. You have to keep that in mind all the time. « 

“And your social interaction is now different. My social interaction is different than it was in the past, because you keep your distance from everyone. You hold your breath in the presence of everyone. So it’s definitely, I would say, a lot, a lot more difficult. « 

“You still live in fear, you know? All the people I see around me, all my friends, if they miss a day of work, or a week of work … So that’s critical for us pilots. The year can be over if you miss a race or two. « 

And Lewis Hamilton to point the finger at a certain relaxation in the sport … without naming a few names.

“I have seen other athletes who are also super relaxed and who don’t care. If they have it, they have it, and it was really weird to see that. « 

Lewis Hamilton and his commitments

In these troubled times, Lewis Hamilton was able to find sources of engagement other than travel or music: notably his commitment to diversity, with the launch of the Hamilton Commission and Mission 44.

For him, all these ancillary activities, far from distracting him from F1, are essential to this famous balance of life.

“I don’t have a distraction problem; I have been doing this for a long time. So I know what to do to stay focused. I never take my eyes off my ultimate goal, which is to race and win the championship. « 

« But I have these other things that help me find a balance … when you have time outside of the races, when you’re trying to figure out where to spend your time and effort, sometimes you put in time and effort. efforts into something that gives nothing in return, or that has no lasting impact, that has no real purpose. « 

“So to finally find something that has real purpose and real potential for change and change for the industry and for people, it’s super rewarding. So, yeah, being able to focus on something other than running is great. It takes all the pressure off. « 

And as he recalls, this commitment to diversity and equality is buried deep in Lewis Hamilton …

“When I was younger, it wasn’t about believing that I could be different. I came in and knew I was different because it was pointed out to me. I guess I was very, very lucky to have this in my DNA. I’m a real fighter, not just on the track but in real life. « 

“I was brutalized and harassed by a lot of kids, but I still stood up for myself, you know? I am not running away. I think you should never come into a classroom telling yourself that I am different and therefore should be treated differently whether or not I am. « 

“I watched Ayrton Senna, and I don’t see him any different from me, although he’s obviously different. Like all the kids there, I see Superman. I do not see that he is white and that he does not look like me. I just see him as a great character who goes around and saves people, okay? « 

“But of course things come to light as you get older and more aware of your surroundings and how you fit in or not. «