Hamilton on viral Giannis ‘failure’ speech: “People complacent with questions”

Basketball superstar Antetokounmpo was asked if his season was a failure, moments after losing in the NBA play-offs, but delivering a rousing reply which had spread on social media as a motivational message.

Hamilton compared his own position, amid Mercedes’ struggles to battle Red Bull.

“I reposted it because I felt that I’d been in that position,” he told ESPN ahead of the F1 Miami Grand Prix. 

“I could feel the frustration, I knew exactly how it is.

“When you are working towards something - success is made up from a ton of failures. You fail far more than you succeed.

“People are just complacent, sometimes, when they are asking you questions.

“‘How does it feel to be failing?’ It’s not really…

“There are no mistakes. There are only lessons, I keep saying.

“You can’t always win.

“It’s not how you fall, it’s how you get back up. How you show up, day after “day, to train to continue trying to get to wherever it is you’re trying to get.

“I thought it was really inspirational, he spoke really well, it was really elegant.”

Antetokounmpo’s reply to being questioned if his season was a failure was: "There's good days and bad days.

"Some days you're able to be successful, some days you're not. Some days it's your turn, some days it's not your turn.

"That's what sport's about. You don't always win, and this year somebody else is going to win. We'll come back next year and try to be better."

"Every year you work towards a goal. There are always steps to success.

"Michael Jordan played for 15 years, he won six championships, so the other nine years he was a failure?"

Hamilton, the seven-time F1 champion whose hopes of an all-time record eighth currently appear to be slim, reacted: “The emotional stress you go through when you are working with a team?

“The emotional feelings, the physical wear.

“You are constantly having to dig deep. All sportsmen and women will know what it’s like.

“From our side of the table, when you’re being asked questions, and you’re going through all this stuff under the spotlight, it’s difficult for people to understand.”