As we head towards the start of the 2022 Formula 1 season, there is one major concern that continues to irk the entire racing community – will Lewis Hamilton ever come back after disappearing from the radar at the end of December 2021?
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Well, while Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem have offered their answers to the ever-growing enthusiasm, nothing seems certain just yet. Therefore, unfortunately, there is still a chance that Hamilton will give up the sport.
Wolff admitted he can’t say for sure whether or not Hamilton will make the starting lineup this year. Meanwhile, Sulayem recently admitted that the seven-time world champion is not 100% ready to race in the sport.
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Formula One F1 – Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton during practice REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Now, amid the ever-growing uncertainty, McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown advised F1 against harboring false hopes of Hamilton’s return. However, he opined that Hamilton still has a “burning desire to race”, increasing his chances of racing alongside George Russell in 2022.
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McLaren boss hopes Lewis Hamilton will return
As reported by Reuters, Brown admitted he would not be shocked if Hamilton suddenly announced his retirement from Formula 1.
“I wouldn’t be shocked if he stopped. So I don’t think anyone should assume he’s coming back,” he told reporters at the McLaren factory.
“My personal opinion is that he will (return). But I don’t think we should ignore or not acknowledge his frustration, his anger. I don’t think we should rule it out or take it lightly. Personally I just think he still has that burning desire to race and that will ultimately drive his decision.”
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Formula One F1 – Mexico City Grand Prix – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico – November 7, 2021 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton before the race REUTERS/Edgard Garrido
He further mentioned that Hamilton does not want an incident to end his racing career. “I don’t think he’s ready to retire. I don’t think he’ll let an incident throw him into retirement,” Brown concluded.
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Overall, it almost looks like Hamilton will jump into the soon-to-be-unveiled 2022 Mercedes F1 Challenger W13 in the coming days. But when will the Brit openly acknowledge his return to F1? Or will Hamilton retire from the sport in a shocking turn of events amid promising signs? We’ll know soon enough.
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