Lewis Hamilton has been backed to “reinvent himself” in a “second or third career” after racing by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton has endured a difficult season off the back of controversially missing out on a record eighth title in Abu Dhabi last year.
The 37-year-old is yet to win a race in 2022 and is currently fifth in the Driver Standings, with Red Bull and Ferrari producing a quicker car than Mercedes after a change in regulations.
While the Silver Arrows are hopeful of being back in the hunt in 2023, Mercedes CEO Wolff praised Hamilton’s “intelligence” in analysing his remaining years in the sport, with Hamilton himself saying that he can see himself continuing for another five years despite his numerous interests outside of racing.
“Lewis is totally mature and conscious about where he stands in his career,” Wolff told the Performance People podcast, a show hosted by Ben Ainslie and wife Georgie.
“He’s not being led by his emotions, like I’ve seen with sportspeople that think it can go on forever and trying to hang on to it.
“Lewis is rational and intelligent about it. He says ‘I know I have a shelf life as a racing driver’. Lewis knows that one day he will not be the best himself anymore. That hasn’t happened yet. But we’ve been talking about it. He said ‘I’d love to continue…do you think we can do another five to 10 years?’ But this is more jokingly.
“I think he has a few good years left in him and he will be the first one to say ‘I don’t think I can compete against a 24-year-old that is as good as I was or even close to how I was’ and that is simply how it goes.
“I have no doubt Lewis Hamilton is not only the greatest racing driver, with Michael [Schumacher] in a way, but he will also be successful in his own way, in a second or third career and reinventing himself.”
After finishing second in both Austin and Mexico, Hamilton only has two races left – in Brazil and Abu Dhabi – to keep his 15-year record of winning a race in every season he’s competed in F1 alive.
