At the current time of writing, it’s unclear if Lewis Hamilton will return to the grid next year to try and beat Max Verstappen to the F1 Drivers’ Championship. The Brit recently lost out on glory to his 24-year-old rival in controversial circumstances at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. And he should take note of Michael Schumacher’s farewell speech when the icon quit the sport back in 2012.
Hamilton was gutted to have lost out on another F1 title, especially given how it prevented him from overtaking Schumacher in the history books.
In the time since the race in Abu Dhabi, the Brit has been silent over his future.
Immediately after, he said ‘we’ll see about next year’. Despite his Mercedes contract running until 2023, the 36-year-old isn’t guaranteed to return.
So when it comes to making his decision, he should consider what the great Schumacher said when walking away nearly a decade ago.
The German, upon quitting, made it clear he’d tired of F1 and wanted to pursue other challenges, saying he wasn’t sure if he ‘still had the motivation and energy’ to keep going.
“It is probably not a complete surprise to explain a little bit on how my thoughts are on this,” he said at the time.
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“Basically I have decided to retire by the end of the year.
“Although I am still able and capable to compete with the best drivers that are around, at some point it is good to say goodbye – and that is what I am doing this season. This time it might even be forever.
“During the past month, I was not sure if I still had the motivation and energy which is necessary to go on.
“It is not my style to do something that I am not 100 per cent feeling for.
“With today’s decision, I feel released from those doubts and in the end my ambition to fight for victories and the pleasure of driving is nourished by competitiveness.
“It is without doubt that we did not achieve our goals to develop a world championship fighting car.
“But it is also very clear that I can still be very happy about my overall achievements in the whole time of my career.”
Hamilton now needs to take heed.
F1 isn’t a sport you can do if you’re half committed. The Brit really needs to make sure he makes the right call.
He still has much more to give. Hamilton lost out on glory only on the last lap. He wasn’t outclassed, it was simply bad luck.
What is something to ponder, though, is his work outside of the sport.
Hamilton is more than a driver, he’s an influencer for change. Somebody determined to use his status to change the world.
Now, the F1 world awaits to see what Hamilton decides.
It still seems likely he’ll return for one last duel with Verstappen, with the Red Bull star even admitting he wants that to happen despite their ferocious rivalry.
Should he triumph next year, he’ll eclipse Schumacher’s achievements by winning a historic eighth title.
But Hamilton has, previously, made it clear he’ll only continue to race when he feels the fire inside.
“That thought often happens to me. It’s like a wave,” he said to Sky Italia earlier this year.
“It comes and goes, there have been many occasions in the last four or five years when I didn’t know if I still wanted to try, sacrifice myself with training at the expense of personal life.
“There are other things I like to do. So many things I would like to try. But on the other hand I tell myself that I am so lucky to be doing this job.
“In a rather long period of time, the career in the car becomes only a small part, there is a lot of time to retire. It is a question of finding the balance.
“I tell myself that if I am still hungry and I train like I was a boy, which I am doing, and if I still get great results and I’m still hungry…
“If I find myself slower, lacking strength to train, and unmotivated, then I’ll know it’s time to stop.”
Valtteri Bottas, meanwhile, feels Hamilton should stay and fight to win the crown back.
“With Lewis what has been really impressive is that every year he’s still able to develop as a driver,” he said.
“He’s got such a big experience of Formula 1 but still he’s been able to learn more and for sure I’ve developed myself as a driver, but so has Lewis.
“It doesn’t come automatically, he works for it because he knows the competition is getting tougher and tougher.
“I’ve definitively learned many things from him during these five years, driving wise, set-up wise, lots of small things here and there.
“It’s been impressive to see him still develop and not get too comfortable.
“He always wants more out of himself and the team around him. It’s been the same thing every year, he keeps getting better.”