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The intense battle of 2021, leading up to the finale between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, can’t be forgotten. The two drivers fought tooth and nail for the championship in each race. Hamilton chasing his eighth and Verstappen chasing his maiden championship made the entire battle that much more interesting.

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However, we’re all aware of the events that unfolded at the all-important 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. At the very least, it was a painful conclusion to a hard-fought season for Hamilton and Mercedes. Deeply affected by the incidents, Hamilton went on a social media hiatus all winter before returning to the sport. However, team principal Toto Wolff believes the Abu Dhabi race still haunts Hamilton.

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Wolff told sky, “I think that Abu Dhabi hurts enormously, and I can understand that.” (Translated by Google).

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Wolff did not take Michael Masi’s last-minute decision, which put Hamilton in a vulnerable position, very well. And the Austrian can understand Hamilton’s frustration. He added, “I know how it felt for me and I wasn’t even in the car to lose a record-breaking eighth title.”

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Whatever the case may be, Wolff still believes that, despite his struggles, Hamilton keeps this at bay. He explained, “I don’t think it affects his performance in the car. I think it’s in your head somewhere when you’re alone and turn off the light. Then you get angry about it.”

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Whether the incident still haunts him is unknown, but behind the car, Hamilton is a true professional.

Lewis Hamilton not retiring anytime soon

A lot of doubt was cast over Hamilton’s future after the 2021 season, as well as recently due to his poor form in 2022. Multiple F1 entities have even advised Hamilton to retire, but the Briton is far from done with his F1 career. Although Hamilton might be out of the drivers’ championship competition, this reason isn’t enough for Sir Hamilton to stop.

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“Why should I stop? Maybe one day I won’t be able to take the pressure anymore, I’ll be tired, but that day hasn’t come yet,” Hamilton told Italian publication Corriere Della Sera.

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Watch This Story: Lewis Hamilton Former Mercedes F1 Photographer Bury The Hatchet After Dramatic 2019 Dispute

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It seems that Hamilton, without a shadow of a doubt, will sooner or later compete for his eighth title. Hopefully, he will be a much more competitive car to do so.

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Written by

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Mahim Suhalka

2,204 Articles

Mahim is a senior Formula 1 writer at EssentiallySports. With a Diploma in Sports Management, he ventured into sports journalism for his sheer passion for F1. Mahim has written over 2000 articles during his tenure at ES, and his expertise is in perspective pieces and core sports coverage. Mahim’s writing flair and meticulous research work have resulted in him contributing to in-depth analysis on teams like Red Bull and Mercedes as well as Team Principals Christian Horner and Toto Wolff. His support for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team and their #44 driver Lewis Hamilton came naturally after being awestruck by the brilliance during his foray into F1. You can follow him on X @MahimSuhalka.

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Edited by

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Ranvijay Singh

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