Lewis Hamilton has backtracked on his worrying claim that he is “not looking forward” to next season. That comments was made in the media pen at last weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, when the seven-time Formula 1 champion was in a dismal mood at the end of a wretched few days.
But despite his difficult year, Hamilton insists he does not regret his decision to join Ferrari. And the 40-year-old also dismissed any significance behind his comments about next year, pointing out that they were delivered in the “heat of frustration” and only minutes after the Las Vegas race had finished.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, Hamilton said: “I would be surprised if the other drivers are excited about next year at the end of a season. Usually, you don’t have a lot of energy at the end of the season. It was in the heat of frustration and often there is a lot of frustration at the end of a race when it does not go well. I am excited to see what the team does next year.”
And when asked if he regrets walking away from Mercedes, he added: “That is a hypothetical question and I will not really get into that, but I don’t regret the decision I made, joining this team. I know it takes time to build and grow within an organisation and I expected that.”
Hamilton has found it difficult to adapt to his new surroundings this year but has said previously that he is optimistic about what he can achieve behind the wheel of Ferrari’s 2026 car, having had a significant say in its development. But he made it clear he hopes to see improvement not only to his racing machine’s performance, but also to the team’s operations trackside.
