On Sunday, Lewis Hamilton (36) had to see himself defeated by rival Max Verstappen (24) in a very exciting World Cup duel. Now the Mercedes chief says he is not sure if Hamilton will continue as a Formula 1 driver.
– I really hope Lewis continues, because he is the best driver ever, says Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, according to Sky Sports.
But when asked directly if the public will see the seven-time world champion chasing his upcoming eighth season, Wolff replied the following: “That’s not certain.”
Although Hamilton signed a new two-year contract with the team before this season, it is expected that the last race of the season left a very deep impression on the Briton to continue.
It will take us a long time to absorb what happened on Sunday. I never think we’ll get over him, that’s not possible, and it’s certainly not him (Hamilton) leading. I really hope both of us and the rest of the team can work our way through the events…but he will never get over the pain.
The Formula 1 World Championship was decided in a very exciting way in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Just one round before, everything was turned upside down. After being behind the safety car for five laps, Max Verstappen was allowed to crawl until Lewis Hamilton appeared before restarting.
With newer and better tires than the rival, there was nothing Hamilton could do on the last lap, as he was easily passed by the Dutchman.
Thus, Verstappen became world champion for the first time in his career, and the rivalry between the two has not diminished.
“Sometimes we hated each other,” Verstappen told the BBC.
But after the final, Verstappen revealed that the relationship between the two warring roosters, who had criticized each other multiple times, was now on the way to normalizing.
It happens after they shared a behind-the-scenes moment after Sunday’s final.
– We looked into each other’s eyes. We didn’t say much to each other, but there was an understanding. You should appreciate the match we had, says the 24-year-old.
Several clashes occurred during the season. Perhaps the best memory is the violent crash at Silverstone, where Verstappen crashed into the tire barrier at more than 280 kph.
Hamilton won the race. Verstappen believes his World Cup title is worthy, and he has faced a lot of opposition this year.
Some say that victory was luck. But we had a lot of bad luck this year. If we hadn’t had it, the championship would have been decided a long time ago. Sometimes you need a little luck, says Verstappen, who makes no secret of the fact that he disagrees with many of the decisions race management has made this season.
“Infuriatingly humble internet trailblazer. Twitter buff. Beer nerd. Bacon scholar. Coffee practitioner.”
