Hamilton nearly quit

Former world champion thought about packing in F1 after Melbourne

Last updated: 7th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Hamilton nearly quit

Hamilton: Thought about future

I don't ever want to be in that position again and I don't feel I ever will be. I can't say what will happen in the future but I have always said I love the sport, I love winning and winning in the right way. Integrity is very important to me.

Lewis Hamilton
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Lewis Hamilton admits he came close to quitting Formula One in the wake of the infamous lying incident at the Australian Grand Prix.

Hamilton is still haunted by the incident in Melbourne, when he was persuaded by then sporting director Dave Ryan to mislead stewards, and he did ponder his future in the sport.

Former world champion Hamilton insists he never wanted to move away from McLaren in the wake of the incident, but did ponder ending his career in the sport.

Hamilton too all the criticism very personally, and says he was not sure if he could go on driving in F1 on the back of the saga.

"There was a lot to take on board after what had gone on," Hamilton said. "I care about how people perceive me.

Future

"It was a feeling of 'shoot, maybe I shouldn't be in the sport' rather than not in my team. This is my dream team and I am fortunate to have been here from the beginning.

"I never had a desire to drive for anyone else. So it was not a desire to leave the team, just to stop racing.

"For a split second it was 'this is too much to take. How do I recover from this?"'

Hamilton took some time to recover from the incident, but he started to find himself again at the end of last season, and he claims to have never lost his love of the sport.

"I never for a second didn't want to do it, I love racing. I just didn't know how to, sometimes it is hard to face the music; hard to face people when you know that as soon as you turn your back they are talking about you.

Support

"But slowly I began to realise that it was not all negative energy and I had a lot of support and respect from people. It made me stronger. It was a real strong experience.

"I don't ever want to be in that position again and I don't feel I ever will be. I can't say what will happen in the future but I have always said I love the sport, I love winning and winning in the right way. Integrity is very important to me."

Michael Schumacher has never been a stranger to controversy on the F1 track, but Hamilton says the German legend's return to the sport can only be a good thing.

"He's grown in age and I am sure he will do his best to correct things he did in the past or things he did not get do in the past. It is fantastic for the sport that Michael is back."