Hamilton’s thoughts on Ferrari won't be swayed by his haters
Lewis Hamilton said ‘people continue to talk s—t’ about him amid his worst start to a Formula One season.
The 39-year-old has scored just 10 points from the opening four rounds following his Mercedes team's misfiring campaign. Hamilton has failed to finish in the top six so far, and crossed the line a distant ninth at the last round in Japan a fortnight ago.
The British driver, who is moving to Ferrari next year, was asked if Mercedes' early-season troubles vindicated his decision to quit the team, which carried him to six of his record-equalling seven world championships.
"I don't feel like I need my decision vindicating," he said. "I know what is right for me, and that hasn't changed from the moment I made the decision. There's not been a moment that I've questioned it, and I'm not swayed by other people's comments.
"Even today, there's people continuing to talk s—t, and that will continue on for the rest of the year. I'll have to just do what I did the previous time (when he moved to Mercedes from McLaren).
"Only I can know what's right for me, and [ joining Ferrari] will be an exciting time for me."
Hamilton, who was speaking ahead of this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix – the first staged here since 2019 – was asked what he meant by the expletive. He replied: "Just read what's out there.”
Hamilton will be 40 when he makes his debut for Ferrari in Australia next March.
Fernando Alonso announced last week that he will remain in the sport beyond his 45th birthday after agreeing a contract extension with Aston Martin. The Spaniard, 43 in July, will become the oldest driver of the modern era.
Hamilton added: "I'm going to be racing for quite some time still, right into my 40s, so it's definitely good Fernando is still around and keeps going on for a bit longer.
"I never thought I'd be racing into my 40s. I'm pretty sure I said I wouldn't. But life is such a crazy trick. I don't feel like I'm nearing 40. I feel like I'm pretty young.”
There's not been a moment that I've questioned [joining Ferrari]