Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he handled his contentious 2021 Formula 1 title defeat in a consummate manner due to viewing it as a “defining moment” in his life.
Having entered the season finale in Abu Dhabi that season tied on points with Max Verstappen, Hamilton had dominated the race and was on course to retain his title.
However, a crash from Nicholas Latifi prompted the Safety Car to intervene with four laps to go, prompting Red Bull to roll the dice and pit Verstappen for new Softs.
Ex-FIA race director Michael Masi contravened the restart regulations when he only let the lapped cars between the pair unlap themselves to set up a final lap shootout.
Verstappen utilised his fresher rubber to overtake Hamilton at Turn 5 and streaked clear to take his maiden championship amid controversial and debatable conditions.
Hamilton, who has admitted that the race made him ponder retirement from F1, recalls how having his father present to support him helped him get through the ordeal.
When asked if he felt “robbed” of a record-breaking eighth F1 championship, Hamilton told GQ Magazine: “Was I robbed? Obviously. I mean, you know the story.
“But I think what was really beautiful in that moment, which I take away from it, was my dad was with me. And we’d gone through this huge roller coaster of life together, ups and downs.
“And the day that it hurt the most, he was there, and the way he raised me was to always stand up, keep your head high.
“And I obviously went to congratulate Max, and not realising the impact that that would have, but also I was really conscious of, like, there’s a mini-me watching.
“This is the defining moment of my life. And I think it really was. I felt it. I didn’t know how it was going to be perceived.
“I hadn’t, like, visualised it. But I was definitely conscious of: these next 50 metres that I walk is where I fall to the ground and die – or I rise up.”
Pressed on whether he still fixates on the outcome from that race, Hamilton replied: “If I see a clip of it, I still feel it, but I’m at peace with it.”
Mercedes has endured a plight since the regulation change that followed in 2022, with the German marque logging a single win since F1 returned to ground effect cars.
That came through George Russell at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with Hamilton having failed to add to his record win total since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The ex-McLaren driver is embarking upon his final campaign with Mercedes this term, however, amid the bombshell news that he will complete a move to Ferrari in 2025.
Hamilton has commenced the latest season perplexed with the inconsistent nature of Mercedes’ W15 car, which has seen him amass just eight points from three rounds.
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