‘He’ll Stop a Year Early’ – Brundle Predicts When Lewis Hamilton’s Likely to Retire From F1
Published 12/30/2020, 8:33 AM EST
The modern era of sports as a whole is different than what it used to be 15-20 years ago. Most athletes called it a day when they crossed 30, and those who continued were no longer at their peak.
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However, in this new age, athletes that are dominating their respective sports such as Rafael Nadal, LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lewis Hamilton are all close to 35 years of age.
Most of them face retirement questions consistently, even when they are at the top of their game, and Hamilton is no different. Fresh off from winning his record-equaling seventh Championship, there is always a chatter in the paddock that he may walk away from F1 soon.
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Former F1 driver and current Pundit Martin Brundle feels that he will only retire at the absolute top. He won’t let father time come to him, but call it a day on his own terms.
“My gut feeling is he’ll stop a year early rather than a year late. He’s not going to hang on until the bitter end for a few more dollars, or just to be a Formula 1 driver, and nor will he need to.”
However, Brundle feels that day is not coming so soon, “He’s obviously got other ambitions in his life, but I can’t imagine why he would stop in the next five years, or certainly three. Why would he?”
Lewis Hamilton is not fading away in any area
The reason why Brundle feels that he may not hang up his boots soon is because of his imperious form. At 35, he is still going as strong as ever. Lauding the longevity of the Mercedes driver, he said –
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“He just never makes a mistake. In wheel-to-wheel combat, in qualifying… he’s 35, going on 25. He just doesn’t fade, mentally or physically. His eyesight, his reactions, nothing has fallen away. If you’re going to start fading, you’re on a gentle slope. And he doesn’t appear to have started that slope yet.
“I think 10 championships and maybe 150 race victories is entirely doable.”
This must be music to the Briton’s dedicated fanbase. Though not so much for Verstappen, Leclerc & Co!
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One can feel that his retirement would depend on how long he feels motivated enough to go through the rigors of F1, and a lengthy calendar like next season may make him quit sooner than later.
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