Lewis Hamilton on Valtteri Bottas, The New Car, THE Piercing and The 2017 Formula 1 Season
The 2017 Formula 1 Season is approaching and with pre-season testing taking place, everyone is getting ready for the new season!
Formula 1 caught up with Lewis Hamilton and here’s what he had to say about his new team-mate Valtteri Bottas, the NEW F1 car, THE piercing and the 2017 formula 1 season!
Question – Lewis, the bookmakers have you as the favourite to win this year’s championship – how do you see it?
Lewis Hamilton – “Is that so? I didn’t know that – that’s nice to hear! Well, I am fitter and working harder than ever before and I am super focused and driven.”
“Last year, when I also worked hard through the year – I didn’t get the result I wanted so I want change and that’s what the team and I are working so hard to achieve.”
“I’m not really sure, but I don’t think that any team has ever won championships across rule changes and that’s the big goal for us – we want to stay up at the front but it will be a very interesting season for us – and the fans!”
Question – The highs and lows of your relationship with Nico Rosberg were documented and the media loved to portray you in contrasting roles – now, you have a man of few words in the garage next to you. Does that mean that you alone will have to provide the off-track entertainment?
Lewis Hamilton – “Ha! I have learned that he (Bottas) makes his own entertainment – he’s very witty and comes out with some very funny things – things which you wouldn’t expect from a Finn!”
“What I like so far about working with Valtteri is that it is all to do with the track – what we do on the circuit and not outside. There are no games and there is complete transparency.”
“I like that and I feel we have a better working relationship than I have ever had with any team-mate before.”
“He wants to do the best thing that he can in his first year with the team and with me being here for a while now, I want to also deliver and make sure that I give as much information so that he can learn too – we do our talking on the track!”
Question – Would you get worried is people start to see you as more of a red-carpet celebrity rather than a sportsman?
Lewis Hamilton – “No, not really – I think that can only be a good thing for me! As long as I can deliver and people recognise me as much in the car as on the red carpet then I still have something when I stop racing.”
“Pretty much most drivers are recognised in the car but as soon as they’re on the red carpet, nobody knows who the hell they are – that’s why many end up in the paddock again and that’s why I have plans to do something very different.”
Question – Are you someone who can forgive and forget easily?
Lewis Hamilton – “I don’t necessarily believe too much in forget and forgive – or rather, I believe in forgiving because God taught us so, but I don’t think you can ever forget.”
“You only have to forgive once – it’s a small decision to make but it can make a very big difference with moving forward.”
Question – Finally, there are some eye-catching changes to your appearance. How long have you had that diamond nose piercing in your nose?
Lewis Hamilton – “About three weeks! I was with a friend and we were like – ‘Hey, let’s get a new tattoo. Cool. Let’s do it‘ and then ‘Let’s get some piercings!’ “
“So we went to a piercing parlour and I was a bit indecisive and said – ‘I think I want that‘ – and she did it. Then I was in for new tattoos without a real plan of what I was going to get – probably some words. I love the word ‘loyalty’ so now I have that written on my forearm and then I have ‘God is Love’ on my neck.”
“It’s sometimes difficult to know where to put the ideas you have – to know where it fits.”
You can see more questions and answers over on the official Formula1 website!
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I didn’t think that i would like these boys as teammates but they seem to be doing great