F1 | Abu Dhabi GP | Hamilton jokes about taking "sick leave" to avoid driving W13 in post-season test, today's race "summed up the whole year"
F1's most successful driver reflected on a tough season when speaking to media post-race in Abu Dhabi today. Hamilton finished the season with a DNF.
For the first time since he joined Formula One in 2007, Lewis Hamilton failed to score a single win or pole across the course of a season.
The W13 proved to be extremely uncompetitive versus the top two teams for most of the season, and Hamilton's campaign finished in disappointment as a car problem ended his day with a few laps to go.
Hamilton said post-race that he's pleased the year is done, although he never gave up hope of winning a race in 2022.
"Very pleased it's over and done with," he stated.
"I always believed right until the last race that there was potentially a chance [of a win]. I think it's important to hold on to hope and just keep working. I gave it everything.
"Ultimately the last race [today] summed up the whole year. I am glad it is done."
The seven-time World Champion joked about skipping the post-season test in Abu Dhabi next week to avoid driving the W13 again.
"I might have to call in sick, sick leave - like my back is hurting or something!
2022 was not the most difficult of his career according to the 37-year-old. His 2011 season was more difficult due to circumstances off track.
“I think 2011 was probably the hardest year I had just in terms of, just in life,” he stated.
“This year was probably not the greatest. It’s up there with the probably top three of the worst seasons.
"But it’s been, I think, a much stronger year in terms of myself, in terms of how I worked with the team, how we’ve all stayed united. So I think there has been lots of pluses from this year.”
Hamilton did want a victory this year. Nonetheless, for a competitive and successful driver like him, one win would not have been anywhere near enough.
“Of course it would have been nice to have had a win,” he said. “But one win is not really enough, is it?
“I feel like this year when we got our first fifth, it felt like a win. When we got our first fourth, it felt like a win. When we got our first podium it felt like a win. The seconds felt as if we had really achieved something. So I just hold on to those.”
A race that summed up our season. 😔 pic.twitter.com/48VAI6PUa7
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 20, 2022
