Lewis Hamilton has refused to give out any advice to the title contenders ahead of the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as his old team faces his fiercest rival.
Hamilton is no stranger to title deciders in Abu Dhabi, battling the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Max Verstappen in recent years in Yas Marina.
Not featuring in the title race since the now infamous 2021 season finale, the seven-time champion is uniquely placed to understand pre-race emotions and tensions.
The Briton featured in a three-way battle in 2007 with then McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, losing the championship by a single point.
However, ahead of the weekend’s action kicking off, the Briton has refused to be drawn into this year’s championship battle involving Verstappen and the McLaren duo.
“I wouldn’t give anyone advice”, he admitted to media including Motorsport Week.
“They’re my competitors. So, I’d probably be telling them fibs.”
Hamilton insists past battles not relevant now
Reliving his maiden title and first with Mercedes in 2014, Hamilton revealed pre-race nerves, dismissing any similarities with Verstappen, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
“I don’t remember that”, he said. “That was so long ago, the first one. “I definitely know I was for sure very nervous in the first one.
“But it was a long wait for the second, and I think, what was that, 2014? That one I really didn’t sleep.
“But more so because somebody tried to bring in new rules to potentially change the outcome.
“So, fortunately, it didn’t work. But yeah, that one was nerve-wracking. I think, I don’t know whether these drivers that are here, they seem pretty chilled.
“So, I doubt they’ll have the same feelings I did.”
Hamilton, however, did state that he believed Norris’ position as championship leader gave him a position of strength, but added he had no preference on who comes out on top on Sunday.
“It’s always way easier being the hunted,” he theorised. “It’s so much easier to be the hunted. When you’re defending, it’s much, much harder.
“If you’re ahead on track and someone’s catching you, it’s much harder to hold on as opposed to someone catching you. You can use them as a reference all the time. So, it’s the same thing when you’ve got nothing to lose but everything to gain.
“When you have everything to lose and nothing to gain except for holding on position. So it’s much, much different.”
“As I said, they’re all my competitors, so I’m not rooting for anybody but myself and this team.”
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