Lewis Hamilton has made it clear he’s “not done yet” in Formula 1 after matching Michael Schumacher’s all-time win record last Sunday.
The six-time world champion moved a good step closer towards joining the German with seven, as he claimed a relatively easy victory at the Eifel Grand Prix after Valtteri Bottas retired.
In recognition of his achievement, Michael’s son Mick Schumacher, who will almost certainly join the grid next year at Alfa Romeo, presented Hamilton with one of his father’s helmets from his time at Mercedes.
And speaking post-race made it clear that his passion for F1 still burns very bright even after an incredible 91 wins.
“I think for me, like everyone here, I love doing what I do. I love the challenge,” he said via Sky Sports.
“I love the challenge that Max [Verstappen] gave me today. I love seeing him behind me, seeing the challenge that Daniel [Ricciardo] gave Max also, the sport, the smell of it, the whole aura and atmosphere it creates is going to be difficult to let it go.
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“But I do feel, whilst I’m older than these guys, I feel as young as them, at least, in spirit,” the 35-year-old added.
“I’m still very much a kid when I’m off the camera, that will probably change when I start seeing grey hairs and stuff but I’m good for now.”
At this point, however, Hamilton is still yet to sign a new contract at Mercedes to continue past this season. But he reassured that there is no thought of retirement for now.
“What I can say is I’m not done yet,” he declared. “I still feel that I’m able to improve and I still feel I’m driving on a really good level.”
Reflecting back on his career, the man from Stevenage explained his biggest satisfaction was capitalising on every big decision that was made.
“What I’m really proud of and I’m really happy with [was] when someone takes a chance on you – which is what Mercedes did when I was 13, and Ron (Dennis) did with Norbert (Haug) and Dieter (Zetsche) when they decided to put me in the [McLaren] car when I was 22 – you are working as hard as I could to make sure that they didn’t regret the decision,” he said.
“Then moving to this team [Mercedes in 2013], I don’t know how I knew it so well, but I knew it was the right thing for me. I didn’t know how long it was going to take us to win, but I loved the idea of working with the guys.
“I wish you guys could see the changes I did from the first day in the seat fitting and the things I get involved in in the background to change, which I’ve done every year in the team.
“Collaborating with a large group of people who are incredibly intelligent, way, way more intelligent than I, and create an understanding, collaborate and work towards a common goal. That’s for me the proudest thing that I feel that I experience through that time.”
After matching Schumacher’s win record at the Nurburgring, F1 motorsport boss Ross Brawn, who is one of a few people to have worked with both drivers, made this admission.
“It’s a remarkable achievement,” he wrote in his Formula1.com column.
“Michael always said that records are there to be broken, but I admit I didn’t expect to see this one broken so soon and I can’t imagine Lewis is going to stop here.
“The way he’s going, he will raise the bar in the next few years to a level that will be astonishing.
“His race was relatively efficient and effective, almost methodical, though I know from the perspective of the pit wall and inside the cockpit, it would have been anything but methodical.”
Brawn also spoke about the approaches of each driver and how they are almost polar opposites.
“Michael was a driver who was very dramatic on track in many ways and had a very quiet persona away from the track,” he recalled.
“Lewis is almost the opposite – quiet but lethal in terms of delivery on track but his flamboyance comes out away from the track.
“You couldn’t have two more different characters. Both have achieved an astonishing accomplishment.”
