30 January 2024 , 16:45
1195
0
Lewis Hamilton admits he could still retire from Formula 1 this year.
That's despite having committed in writing to at least two more seasons racing for Mercedes. The seven-time champion signed an extension last year keeping him with the team until the end of 2025.
He turned 39 earlier this month and will be almost 41 by the time his current deal ends. And he suggested a few years ago that it was unlikely that he would still be racing in F1 by the time he was 40.
Reminded of that statement while speaking to Formule1.nl, Hamilton declared it may still be a prediction which comes to pass. "That is still possible," he said. "I have no set plan for the future - I still feel fit and still enjoy what I do. I've now learned that you should never say never in life."
The Briton also admits that he never thought his love for the sport would endure for as long as it has. Perhaps alluding to his 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix heartbreak, though, he made it clear there are times when he is much less fond of F1.
Sebastian Vettel warns of looming F1 ban and is "very worried about the future"
He added: "I never thought that, after such a long time in Formula 1, I would still feel the same love for the sport. It is a love-hate relationship - at times you love it more than at others. I think there comes a point when you've had enough. But the love is still there."
As for the other things life can offer, Hamilton insists he still has plenty of time to think about starting a family of his own. "I don't have time for that!" he said. "I enjoy being an uncle. I haven't decided yet whether I want children."
Hamilton's latest contract will help Mercedes to feel secure in the knowledge that they do not yet have to think about filling the giant hole which will one day be left by their star driver. In 17-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli, though, they have a star in the making already on the books who has been impressing team boss Toto Wolff.
Speaking of the teenager, who steps up to Formula 2 this year, he said: "We got Kimi under the wings in 2012 and he was a great kid already then. You could see the character, he was strong. We had him in the garage and there was a lot of confidence. In go-karting his track record was immense and then you put him in the junior formulas and he wins every single season in his rookie year.
"But we've got to be careful because there's a lot of hype around him. Putting him into F2 is a big step because those cars are heavier and much more powerful. If we give him his time and don't expect him to be killing it in his first season, I think he can be a really great one in this sport. He's 17 - this is so young."