Zürcher Nachrichten - Hamilton 'lost a little bit of faith' after F1 title heartbreak

EUR -
AED 4.048046
AFN 78.249657
ALL 99.603266
AMD 426.814169
ANG 1.985697
AOA 1022.758755
ARS 1055.541774
AUD 1.653158
AWG 1.986555
AZN 1.910126
BAM 1.950448
BBD 2.224705
BDT 131.668689
BGN 1.957608
BHD 0.415383
BIF 3193.916819
BMD 1.102111
BND 1.434425
BOB 7.613762
BRL 6.222411
BSD 1.101866
BTN 92.494469
BWP 14.700128
BYN 3.60584
BYR 21601.369789
BZD 2.220925
CAD 1.496082
CDF 3163.057796
CHF 0.937014
CLF 0.037826
CLP 1043.732038
CNY 7.846808
CNH 7.853426
COP 4710.961181
CRC 570.928139
CUC 1.102111
CUP 29.205934
CVE 110.752134
CZK 25.096119
DJF 195.866664
DKK 7.462504
DOP 66.126797
DZD 146.080242
EGP 53.30546
ERN 16.531661
ETB 121.009767
FJD 2.450267
FKP 0.858016
GBP 0.844669
GEL 2.970225
GGP 0.858016
GHS 17.269899
GIP 0.858016
GMD 78.249898
GNF 9533.257671
GTQ 8.517627
GYD 230.507009
HKD 8.595307
HNL 27.387108
HRK 7.569394
HTG 145.220184
HUF 396.097501
IDR 16998.900386
ILS 4.161596
IMP 0.858016
INR 92.555582
IQD 1443.765022
IRR 46404.370976
ISK 152.30092
JEP 0.858016
JMD 172.666188
JOD 0.781066
JPY 156.646285
KES 142.17191
KGS 92.79681
KHR 4485.590315
KMF 492.588179
KPW 991.899545
KRW 1476.486375
KWD 0.336772
KYD 0.918151
KZT 526.401176
LAK 24392.464807
LBP 98749.11928
LKR 331.235049
LRD 214.911326
LSL 19.72829
LTL 3.254246
LVL 0.666655
LYD 5.24647
MAD 10.781674
MDL 19.21566
MGA 4998.072466
MKD 61.548722
MMK 3579.612574
MNT 3744.971517
MOP 8.849694
MRU 43.759283
MUR 50.752792
MVR 16.928227
MWK 1912.698958
MXN 21.801816
MYR 4.771039
MZN 70.369635
NAD 19.727921
NGN 1823.992846
NIO 40.522627
NOK 11.967743
NPR 147.989532
NZD 1.797328
OMR 0.424255
PAB 1.101836
PEN 4.211713
PGK 4.310906
PHP 61.745769
PKR 307.272317
PLN 4.289103
PYG 8513.637769
QAR 4.012236
RON 4.975586
RSD 117.022213
RUB 100.926275
RWF 1476.828343
SAR 4.13608
SBD 9.185691
SCR 15.634543
SDG 662.925181
SEK 11.429004
SGD 1.436557
SHP 0.858016
SLE 25.180257
SLL 23110.675351
SOS 629.305435
SRD 32.254404
STD 22811.466411
SVC 9.641543
SYP 2769.08642
SZL 19.761165
THB 37.196185
TJS 11.742345
TMT 3.857387
TND 3.365293
TOP 2.594644
TRY 37.46725
TTD 7.466241
TWD 35.446096
TZS 2997.741211
UAH 45.483389
UGX 4098.326163
USD 1.102111
UYU 44.517839
UZS 14002.316214
VEF 3992453.922354
VES 40.327416
VND 27073.349433
VUV 130.844763
WST 3.086927
XAF 654.138241
XAG 0.038487
XAU 0.000438
XCD 2.978509
XDR 0.816644
XOF 654.104318
XPF 119.331742
YER 275.91283
ZAR 19.72172
ZMK 9920.320356
ZMW 29.114785
ZWL 354.879197
  • RBGPF

    1.6100

    58.61

    +2.75%

  • CMSC

    -0.0800

    25.27

    -0.32%

  • NGG

    0.1900

    69.33

    +0.27%

  • SCS

    0.1650

    13.345

    +1.24%

  • RYCEF

    0.1200

    6.3

    +1.9%

  • BCC

    0.3200

    122.02

    +0.26%

  • GSK

    -0.3400

    43.76

    -0.78%

  • VOD

    0.2000

    10.04

    +1.99%

  • CMSD

    -0.1300

    25.13

    -0.52%

  • RIO

    1.4350

    61.205

    +2.34%

  • BTI

    -0.1000

    39.12

    -0.26%

  • JRI

    -0.0100

    13.13

    -0.08%

  • BCE

    -0.1050

    35.195

    -0.3%

  • BP

    0.1250

    31.275

    +0.4%

  • AZN

    -0.6300

    80.53

    -0.78%

  • RELX

    -0.0350

    47.195

    -0.07%

Hamilton 'lost a little bit of faith' after F1 title heartbreak
Hamilton 'lost a little bit of faith' after F1 title heartbreak

Hamilton 'lost a little bit of faith' after F1 title heartbreak

Lewis Hamilton says he "lost a little bit of faith" in Formula One after the traumatic end to his 2021 world championship campaign but vowed not to let the setback define his career.

Text size:

The British driver was poised to capture a record-breaking eighth world title in December's season finale in Abu Dhabi before a controversial safety car restart allowed Max Verstappen to pass him on the final lap.

The 37-year-old was disillusioned following his defeat at Yas Marina and at one stage it was unclear whether he would return to the grid.

Michael Masi was removed as F1 race director on Thursday after his controversial role in orchestrating the one-lap showdown for the title.

Speaking on Friday at the launch of the Mercedes car for the 2022 season, Hamilton said he asks himself every year if he has the desire it takes to become a world champion.

"That is a normal mental process for me, but this year was compounded by a significant factor about a sport I have loved my whole life," he said, addressing the media for the first time since the agony of his defeat.

"There was a moment where I lost a little bit of faith. I put faith and trust alongside each other and trust can be lost in a blink of an eye or a flick of a finger.

"But I am a determined person and I like to think to myself that while moments like this might define other people's careers, I will refuse to let it define mine."

The FIA has also announced an overhaul of race control, while its inquiry into the final laps in Abu Dhabi is ongoing.

Hamilton said he was pleased that the governing body was taking steps to improve procedures, adding: "We have to use this moment to make sure this never happens to anybody else in this sport ever again."

- Attack pledge -

The British driver revealed he had not revisited the race, adding that he did not blame Dutch rival Verstappen for what happened.

"It was obviously a difficult time for me," he said. "I just unplugged and switched off. It took time to digest what happened and it is still difficult to fully understand everything.

"But eventually I got to a point where I decided I was going to be attacking again coming into another season."

Mercedes lodged, and then dropped, their appeal against the result of the race in a reported quid pro quo agreement that Masi would be removed by the FIA.

But Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: "Dropping the appeal being linked to anyone leaving the FIA is not true.

"The restructuring at the FIA regarding how decisions are being made was necessary. Last year was a great season but it created a lot of polarisation with decisions that were not always easy to understand."

Masi, who will be offered a new position within the FIA, found himself in the line of fire after calling in the safety car for the final lap and controversially allowing the backmarkers between race leader Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap themselves.

That led to a one lap shoot-out between Hamilton and Verstappen, who with fresh tyres had a huge advantage and he exploited it to stunning effect when he picked Hamilton off to seal the title.

Mercedes have reverted from black -- used for the past two seasons in the fight against racism -- to their traditional silver colours for the new campaign.

Hamilton and his new team-mate, fellow British driver George Russell, will be in action at next week's first test in Barcelona ahead of the new season, which starts in Bahrain on March 20.

A.Weber--NZN