Hamilton on winning in F1: “So short-lived, emotional rollercoaster, so intense”
The Mercedes driver holds the all-time record for the most amount of race wins in F1 history (103), ahead of Michael Schumacher (91) and Sebastian Vettel (53).
He enters 2023 aiming for an eighth championship which would also be the most ever.
But he told the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast: “Success is so short-lived. You win a race then go home.
“It is so intense, a stressful environment for everyone working in it. Then you go home and there is a huge come-down for one or two days later.
“Trying to balance those emotions? That emotional rollercoaster? Figuring out ways to keep it balanced is key for me.
“It is about the bigger picture. I am fighting for something greater than winning a race. I am fighting to change the world. I can’t watch the news. There are people out there doing really great things - I want to be a part of that inspirational bubble.
“Look how bad our leaders are in government! We need to inspire a next generation of thought leaders.
“I am trying to learn new tools that I didn’t have when I was a kid - I didn’t have yoga, meditation, podcasts!”
Hamilton endured his worst-ever season in 2022, going winless for the entire year for the first time in his career.
He watched George Russell claim Mercedes' sole win of the campaign in Brazil, raising the possibility of an intriguing relationship between the British duo this year. Russell has his own title ambitions.
Max Verstappen remains the man to beat, and remains Hamilton's biggest rival. The feud that boiled over at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix never truly re-lit in 2022 because Hamilton's car never allowed him to be competitive but, this year, F1 fans are hoping that will change.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
