Breaking news
Formula 1
Hamilton: 2020 situation a "real test" mentally
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton says his 2020 Formula 1 season has been a "lonely journey" in his bid to steer clear of any unnecessary COVID-19 risks.
Adam Cooper
Published: Aug 24, 2020, 8:50 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sergio Perez's absence from the two Silverstone races after testing positive following his trip home to Mexico has served a reminder to all drivers of the potential impact of the virus on their careers.
Hamilton has traditionally mixed his intense focus on race weekends with outside interests such as music, fashion and extensive travel, often heading to the USA in gaps between European races.
However, the busy 2020 schedule, which began with six races in seven weekends, has seen him obliged to live in a "bubble" with limited contact outside his inner circle.
He has spent much of the past two months living in his motorhome at race venues with trainer Angela Cullen.
Hamilton admits that it hasn't been easy to change his usual routine while keeping an intense focus on the title battle.
When asked by Motorsport.com about balancing his title aspirations with avoiding others, Hamilton replied: "I think it's definitely a challenge. Obviously everyone's in the same boat.
"Probably the journey of an F1 driver fighting for a championship, it can often feel like a lonely journey.
"That's magnified this year, obviously with having to limit people who are in your bubble, and of course moving around.
"What I used to do in the past was the travelling, was other things that I was finding positive. But getting to be around friends, getting to find the perfect balance this year, it's much, much harder to implement those other things that help keep a balance.
"I don't know, it's hard to put the words together. But everyone's doing it, I think. It's a real challenge, and a real test mentally for me personally. I don't know how it is for you guys, maybe you're seeing your families and stuff, but I'm not.
"But as you can see, I'm focused and as driven as ever, and it's a marathon, not a sprint.
"So I just keep my head down. I know that I'll get to enjoy myself a little bit more at the end of the year when nothing's particularly at risk, and I can hopefully be with family then."
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff suggested that Hamilton's recent focus on promoting diversity and the Black Lives Matter campaign had provided him with a useful outlet.
"Lewis has always been at his best when he fought adversity," said Wolff. "I think the Black Lives Matter movement is close to his heart, and it certainly helps in terms of motivation.
"What I've always said is I'm impressed how he develops.
"Every season, he's better in terms of his personality and as a driver, and that is really inspiring in a way that as a mid-30-year-old, he is able to show us how you can develop as a personality, and how you can improve your game, how you can have interests outside of motor racing that actually make you stronger."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Racing Point: Car copying clampdown doesn't impact team model
Next article Hulkenberg: Reserve driver role "makes little sense" to me
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Adam Cooper
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
More from
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton buoyed by historic first Ferrari F1 pole: "I still love what I do"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
1 h
Lewis Hamilton buoyed by historic first Ferrari F1 pole: "I still love what I do"
Lewis Hamilton "praying" for Ferrari power unit after Mexico FP2 failure
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
13 h
Lewis Hamilton "praying" for Ferrari power unit after Mexico FP2 failure
Latest news
"I'll bombard myself with melatonin": Kimi Antonelli admits to driving "tense" and "tired" on cusp of F1 title
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
6 min
"I'll bombard myself with melatonin": Kimi Antonelli admits to driving "tense" and "tired" on cusp of F1 title
Ryo Hirakawa could have "easily" made Q2 in F1 Mexico GP without late traffic
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
41 min
Ryo Hirakawa could have "easily" made Q2 in F1 Mexico GP without late traffic
Carson Kvapil wins Martinsville as Justin Allgaier takes NASCAR O’Reilly points lead
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Martinsville II
49 min
Carson Kvapil wins Martinsville as Justin Allgaier takes NASCAR O’Reilly points lead
F1 Mexico GP: Sunday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
51 min
F1 Mexico GP: Sunday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe