After a grueling and underwhelming 2023 season, Lewis Hamilton openly acknowledged to RacingNews365 that he is “emotionally drained”. Naturally, going winless for the second successive year will have been a tough pill to swallow for the seven-time champion.
Mercedes inherited a lot of struggles from the last season. While they eeked out a win last year, 2023 was a barren run for the Silver Arrows, with both Hamilton and George Russell going winless.
Regardless, Hamilton put up a better showing this year, finishing third in the Drivers’ Standings. At some stages, he even looked to threaten Sergio Perez for P2 in the championship. Contrastingly, Russell finished way behind in P8, scoring only 175 points.
However, Hamilton acknowledged that in addition to the competitive challenges, even the logistical demands of the calendar took a toll on him. He said, “I’d rather not keep going into the season but I think for me I’m just more emotionally drained at the end of the year.”
“It definitely has been so difficult for everybody here, all the teams moving from Las Vegas out to [Abu Dhabi]. I think it should be better next year.”, explained Hamilton. The Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi turnover was a huge point of contention for many teams, especially Mercedes.
Nevertheless, the 38-year-old hopes that this situation will improve in 2024. He said, “It’s obviously a very long season. I think really with all the negativity in the world as well, it’s been quite draining just to maintain a positive mindset through the year.”
George Russell seconds Lewis Hamilton on the demanding nature of the F1 season
George Russell‘s views on the grueling nature of the F1 calendar second what Lewis Hamilton feels. Russell deemed the record 24-race calendar as ‘unsustainable’. He also highlighted some health concerns that happened during the quick turnover between Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi.
Russell cited that he suffered a horrendous cough and a fever following the exertion of the Las Vegas-Abu Dhabi doubleheader. The Briton also cited that some of the Mercedes mechanics also fell ill during and post the Abu Dhabi GP.
Naturally, Russell emphasized how difficult it gets for drivers to concentrate and deliver at the top level when ill. The 25-year-old said, “I was coughing every single lap but when you’re strapped into the car, you can’t breathe. You can’t take a deep breath in to get the cough out.”
The demanding nature of the F1 calendar with such quick turnovers between double and tripleheaders puts physical and mental strain on all personnel. As Russell said, it becomes a “miserable” experience if things go haywire. Therefore, it is understandable why Hamilton feels “emotionally drained”.
