LEWIS HAMILTON desires to maintain crushing the opposition – regardless of having already gained the title – as a result of ‘it’s in his DNA’.
The world champion wrapped up his seventh title last out by winning the Turkish GP.
Lewis Hamilton secured his seventh title final out by profitable the Turkish GPCredit score: Getty
However he began on the entrance foot in Bahrain for this weekend’s GP by setting the quickest time in first follow.
And the 35-year-old says he has no intentions of taking it simple as he chases his eleventh win of the season.
He mentioned: “Profitable is what we exist to do. It is what all of us work to do, what each single individual within the crew works in direction of.
“We nonetheless have work to do, we now have incremental enhancements to work on. Each alternative we get to be on monitor, we’re nonetheless challenged and studying and growing, we’re on a continuing journey to attempt to enhance.
“It isn’t simple to do when we now have had the success we now have had. However all of us love that problem and I really like the way it unifies us. We’re continually evolving in how we work as a crew.
“It’s in my DNA. It’s how I am wired. I really like that problem, coming to a different race the place the strain is totally different and the main target is on getting the very best out of this weekend.
“How can we extract extra, study extra, virtually use them as take a look at races, so we will apply what we discovered this 12 months into subsequent 12 months’s automobile?”
Hamilton has but to signal a new £40million a year contract together with his Mercedes crew, nonetheless, he says it’s only a formality.
He has additionally closed the door on a transfer to Ferrari, regardless of admitting having held conversations with Ferrari’s chairman John Elkann final winter.
He added: “I used to be by no means shut in any respect to ever leaving my crew. I believe it is solely proper that as drivers and as individuals if you’re your subsequent phases and committing to intervals of time in your life.
“You must analyse what your choices are and be sure you have achieved your due diligence and have the professionals and cons.
“I do not know that our values are aligned, and timing… it simply wasn’t meant to be. I am not bothered by it. I am so proud and grateful for the journey that I’ve with Mercedes.
“I believe that is the one crew within the historical past of the game the place you are long-life member of the family.
“Should you have a look at all of the greats who’ve been there their complete lives, they have been part of Mercedes, the Mercedes model. You are a part of the highway of evolution and so they embody you within the household endlessly.
“In order that’s one thing, that is loyalty, which I’ve tattooed, which is a big half and such an necessary worth to myself.”
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In the meantime, he has additionally waded into the talk over F1’s promised wage cap to restrict drivers’ wages.
F1 is investigating the concept of limiting groups to a kitty of £22.5million to spend on each their drivers from the 2023 season.
And Hamilton says that mannequin is failed as a result of in different US sports activities the place wages are restricted, the sports activities stars can negotiate their very own sponsorship offers – not like in F1 which is way extra restrictive.
He mentioned: “The drivers listed here are the celebrities of the game. They’re those who deliver their manufacturers, and their fame helps elevate the game, and assist [brands] journey world wide.
“Should you have a look at different sports activities, there have been wage caps, I believe the one distinction is that these locations the people personal their picture in lots of areas so then they will attempt to maximise their picture elsewhere.
“However this sport controls just about the driving force’s picture.”
