analysis
Lewis Hamilton has achieved everything in Formula 1 and is the record world champion. He still wanted to round out his story with the most historic racing team. Instead, he faces an inglorious end to his career. There is a risk of a failure, as has already been experienced by several superstars who couldn’t let go.
Being a professional at the age of 40 in a sport that requires maximum physical exertion is always something special. Very few manage to extend their careers beyond their “30s” because they lack the strength, the physical wear and tear is too great, the desire and motivation have disappeared or the quality is simply no longer sufficient.
Hamilton has a similar experience to Alonso
Lewis Hamilton is one of those for whom none of this has been the case so far, which is why he is still driving in Formula 1 as an “over-40s”. Such long careers are even more common in racing, with the physical demands on drivers (including more races and longer seasons) becoming ever greater. Hamilton is the 117th Formula 1 driver in history, and in addition to him, Fernando Alonso (44 years old) also belongs to the illustrious circle.
Alonso and Hamilton have had something new in common since this season. Alonso was also once part of the crème de la crème, becoming world champion in 2005 and 2006. And he wanted to repeat these successes with Ferrari, the most traditional and famous racing team. Success in Formula 1 is one thing, but with the red speedsters from Scuderia they become even more special. But Alonso didn’t make it, he was with the Italians from 2010 to 2015 and came close to winning the World Cup a few times – but something always came up.
The Scuderia “nightmare” of “Sir” Lewis
There has not been a Ferrari world champion since 2007, and the car has not had a title format for several years. Hamilton still wanted to try and add one more to his seven World Cup trophies so far that everyone would be talking about when the Briton eventually gave up the steering wheel. The “Sir” (he was knighted on December 31, 2020) was with Mercedes and McLarenwith the Silver Arrows, successful. Red was supposed to gild his career – but Ferrari is a bright red eyesore on his monument.
Hamilton last spoke of one in Brazil after his retirement “Nightmare that just won’t end”. “It’s a nightmare and I’ve been living in it for a while now. Between the dream of driving for this team and the nightmare we’re living, it’s challenging.”he further specified. His racing team president John Elkann didn’t like that and his drivers should “drive more and talk less”he even denied Hamilton and colleague Charles Leclerc the quality in Brazil.
Hamilton and Ferrari – this combination has so far been a fiasco that can hardly be worse. Perhaps the best driver in Formula 1 history for the most legendary racing team – what was supposed to be a Cinderella story has become one of the biggest flops in world sport. Not just because of the results, but also because of the disputes that have existed since then.
Hamilton holds a sad Ferrari record
Hamilton has competed in 21 races for Ferrari so far and he had already set a sad record in his 19th Grand Prix, making him the driver in the history of the racing team who took the longest to achieve his first top-three placement. The only thing is: Since then, the 40-year-old (finished fourth four times this season) has continued to build on his dismal record – and there is nothing to indicate that it will no longer be “zero” after the 24th race of the season on December 7th in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton had a choice. He was able to leave as record world champion, but he didn’t want to let Max Verstappen beat him again and again in recent years. The year 2020 wasn’t supposed to be his last title year, so he took the risk – and thus completely bathed in the Ferrari red sea. Once again a superstar has been caught who missed the exit at the end of his career and is threatened with an inglorious end.
Michael Jordan is a warning to all experienced people
The most famous of these examples is Michael Jordanwho is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes of all time and has a huge share in the current popularity of basketball worldwide – but who made a huge mistake before his final career end.
1998 had Jordan said that the “Netflix” documentary was over for him “The Last Dance” is about this final season. But in 2001 he dared to make a comeback with the Washington Wizardswhere he was team manager. Two years made “His Airness” Even further, both times he missed the playoffs with the Wizards after five titles with the Chicago Bulls.
His last game took place on April 16, 2003, a massive defeat against the Philadelphia 76ers (87:107), against whom he had fought countless thrilling duels with Chicago in the 1990s. Jordan had 15 points, four rebounds and four assists – it was a farewell that in no way did justice to the best basketball player in history. Hamilton is experiencing this too.