Lewis Hamilton admits he will always carry the ‘scar’ from his Abu Dhabi 2021 ‘heartbreak’

Lewis Hamilton lost out on the 2021 world title to Max Verstappen on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi GP, after a 'human error' by the race director.

Lewis Hamilton admits he will always carry the ‘scar’ from his Abu Dhabi 2021 ‘heartbreak’

Lewis Hamilton

The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is one race that Lewis Hamilton would like to forget. But he cannot. The Briton lost the championship on the last lap, following a ‘human error’ safety car restart. He came within touching distance of his eighth world title, only for it all to unravel. The events that day sparked outrage, controversy, and anger, and continue to do so, to this day. There were rumors that Hamilton will retire, though they came to nothing. But it got even worse for him in 2022.

The W13 was not very competitive, and the Briton was mostly relegated to podiums. On a good day, he competed for second places. He didn’t win a race last season – which is a first for him, in his entire career. He was also beaten in the standings by his teammate, George Russell. 2023 hasn’t started much better, at least in terms of the car’s performance. But he’s matched up better against Russell and has looked better, overall.

YouTube video

But ‘AD21’ continues to haunt him. In an interview with ESPN, he said: “Ultimately that feeling never really truly leaves you. It’s like when you think about your first love, it will always be that first love and first heartbreak. Abu Dhabi, the scar is there and there will always be that memory. Even though I reprogrammed my mind, I think it still took me the whole year to really push through it because we were straight back into work. It wasn’t a quick thing.”

FS Video

Read More: Lewis Hamilton admits to thinking about ending his career ‘somewhere’ else amidst Ferrari rumors

Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes “desperately need those upgrades”

Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton’s current contract with Mercedes expires at the end of 2023, though an extension is likely. This year, it’s becoming glaringly obvious he will not compete for the F1 title. But the team can still improve, and assert themselves in the fight for runner-up. The Silver Arrows will introduce MAJOR upgrades in Imola, and Hamilton cannot wait. Especially considering his rather dismal outing in Miami.

Speaking after Friday as per Autosport, the Briton said: “We’re not particularly quick and it’s a struggle out there. We’re just trying lots of different things.” and added: “I’m trying to stay positive with it and we’re working as hard as we can. It’s just we desperately need those upgrades, that’s for sure. We have just got to keep our head down for one more race and hopefully we’ll start a new path at the next race.”

Of course, it’s possible that the race in Miami could still go well for Mercedes. But their hopes for the season, even for the P2 fight, definitely lie with the upgrades coming in Imola. Their competitors, Aston Martin, and Ferrari, definitely will not be sitting idle. Red Bull will also continue to develop, at least until the cost cap penalty hits them.

In case you missed it: