F1

LEWIS HAMILTON wants to keep crushing the opposition – despite having already won the title – because ‘it is in his DNA’.
The world champion wrapped up his seventh title last out by winning the Turkish GP.

Lewis Hamilton secured his seventh title last out by winning the Turkish GPCredit: Getty

But he started on the front foot in Bahrain for this weekend’s GP by setting the quickest time in first practice.
And the 35-year-old says he has no intentions of taking it easy as he chases his 11th win of the season.
He said: “Winning is what we exist to do. It’s what we all work to do, what every single person in the team works towards.
“We still have work to do, we have incremental improvements to work on. Every opportunity we get to be on track, we are still challenged and learning and developing, we’re on a constant journey to try to improve.

“It is not easy to do when we have had the success we have had. But we all love that challenge and I love how it unifies us. We are constantly evolving in how we work as a team.
“It is in my DNA. It is how I’m wired. I love that challenge, coming to another race where the pressure is different and the focus is on getting the best out of this weekend.
“How can we extract more, learn more, almost use them as test races, so we can apply what we learned this year into next year’s car?”
Hamilton has yet to sign a new £40million a year contract with his Mercedes team, however, he says it is only a formality.

He has also closed the door on a move to Ferrari, despite admitting having held conversations with Ferrari’s chairman John Elkann last winter.
He added: “I was never close at all to ever leaving my team. I think it’s only right that as drivers and as people when you’re looking at your next phases and committing to periods of time in your life.
“You have to analyse what your options are and make sure you have done your due diligence and have the pros and cons.
“I don’t know that our values are aligned, and timing… it just wasn’t meant to be. I’m not bothered by it. I’m so proud and grateful for the journey that I have with Mercedes.
“I think this is the only team in the history of the sport where you’re long-life family member.
“If you look at all the greats who have been there their whole lives, they’ve been a part of Mercedes, the Mercedes brand. You’re part of the road of evolution and they include you in the family forever.
“So that’s something, that’s loyalty, which I have tattooed, which is a huge part and such an important value to myself.”

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Meanwhile, he has also waded into the debate over F1’s promised salary cap to limit drivers’ wages.
F1 is investigating the idea of limiting teams to a kitty of £22.5million to spend on both their drivers from the 2023 season.
And Hamilton says that model is failed because in other US sports where wages are limited, the sports stars can negotiate their own sponsorship deals – unlike in F1 which is far more restrictive.
He said: “The drivers here are the stars of the sport. They’re the ones who bring their brands, and their reputation helps elevate the sport, and help [brands] travel around the world.
“If you look at other sports, there have been salary caps, I think the one difference is that those places the individuals own their image in many areas so then they can try to maximise their image elsewhere.
“But this sport controls pretty much the driver’s image.”

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LEWIS HAMILTON has told F1 chiefs to start addressing the ‘massive problem’ of human rights in some of the countries the sport visits.
The world champ arrived in Bahrain ahead of this weekend’s GP and was presented with letters from three Bahraini citizens, who claim to be victims of human rights abuses.

Lewis Hamilton described the human rights records in some of the countries hosting F1 races as a ‘massive problem’Credit: AP:Associated Press

It comes as earlier this week Amnesty International UK described Bahrain’s record on human rights as ‘shocking’.
Sixteen human rights groups have also penned a letter to F1 chairman Chase Carey quizzing F1’s role in ‘sportswashing the Bahraini Government’s human rights abuses’.
And, with races planned in China, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia next season, Hamilton says that the sport’s bosses need to do more and back up their promises with actions.
He said: “When I arrived here around midday on Thursday, I received some letters and I have not had a lot of time to digest them and that’s something I need to take some time to do.

“The human rights issue in so many of the places that we go to is a massive problem.
“It is very important, that has shown this year how important it is, not only for us as a sport but all the sports around the world to utilise the platforms they have and to push for change.
“We are the only ones that go to so many different countries and I do think that as a sport, we need to do more. We have taken a step in that direction but we can do more.
“There are some steps in place for the places we are going to, but it is important to make sure they are implemented in the right way and it is not just saying we are going to do something. We need to see some action being taken.”

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Meanwhile Hamilton says he would jump at the chance to become Sir Lewis.
As The Sun first revealed, the F1 champion is set to be knighted in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list.
The 35-year-old was asked ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain GP what the title would mean to him and whether he would accept it.
Hamilton added: “I would never ever turn down the Royal family. I grew up in the UK and am a massive fan of them.
“It is very surreal, when you grew up watching the news like everyone else, hearing your name in the House of Lords or the House of Commons or in Parliament.
“It is very very surreal to hear that with all the things going on in the world that they have a moment and acknowledge the work that I have done.
“As far as I am aware, there is a lot of talk and I have not really thought a lot about it, but it would be an incredible honour.
“There is no greater honour that your country recognising you and honouring you with such an award.”

Hamilton received his MBE from the Queen in March 2003 and is now in store for a knighthoodCredit: PA:Press Association

Sixteen human rights groups wrote to F1 chairman Chase Carey over his industry’s ‘sportswashing’ abuses by the Bahraini Government Credit: PA:Press Association

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LEWIS HAMILTON says he would jump at the chance to become Sir Lewis.
As The Sun first revealed, the F1 champion is set to be knighted in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list.

Lewis Hamilton admits the prospect of being knighted feels surreal

The 35-year-old was asked ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain GP what the title would mean to him and whether he would accept it.
He said: “I would never ever turn down the Royal family. I grew up in the UK and am a massive fan of them.
“It is very surreal, when you grew up watching the news like everyone else, hearing your name in the House of Lords or the House of Commons or in Parliament.
“It is very very surreal to hear that with all the things going on in the world that they have a moment and acknowledge the work that I have done.

“As far as I am aware, there is a lot of talk and I have not really thought a lot about it, but it would be an incredible honour.
“There is no greater honour that your country recognising you and honouring you with such an award.”
Hamilton is preparing for this weekend’s race in Bahrain, which is the first in three races in the Middle East.
He is understood to have received a letter from three Bahraini citizens who claim to have been victims of human rights abuses.

And while the F1 champ says he has not yet had time study the letters, he admits that F1 does go to countries where human rights “is a massive problem”.
And he says the sport’s bosses need to do more and back up their promises with actions.
He added: “When I arrived here around midday on Thursday, I received some letters and I have not had a lot of time to digest them and that’s something I need to take some time to do.
“The human rights issue in so many of the places that we go to is a massive problem.
“It is very important, that has shown this year how important it is, not only for us as a sport but all the sports around the world to utilise the platforms they have and to push for change.

“We are the only ones that go to so many different countries and I do think that as a sport, we need to do more. We have taken a step in that direction but we can do more.
“There are some steps in place for the places we are going to, but it is important to make sure they are implemented in the right way and it is not just saying we are going to do something.
“We need to see some action being taken.”

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