21/11/2022
NEWS STORY
Ending his first win-less season with a DNF, Lewis Hamilton insists that 2022 wasn't his worst season since entering the sport.
In addition to failing to win a race for the first time since he entered F1 in 2007, the seven-time world champion failed to score a pole position and for the only the third time in sixteen seasons was out-scored by a teammate.
On paper it was the worst of times, but while Hamilton will be glad to see the back of 2022 and the W13, he insists that there are positives to take away.
"I think 2011 was probably the hardest year I had, just in terms of life," he told reporters. "This year is not the greatest, it is up there with probably the top three of the worst seasons, but it's been a much stronger year in terms of myself, in terms of how it worked with the team, how we've all stayed united. So I think there's been lots of pluses.
"Honestly, it would have been nice to have a win," he admitted, "but one win is not really enough is it? So 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 and those seconds felt like as if we really achieved something, so I'll just hold on to those."
"I always believed, right until the last race, that there was potentially a chance," he said of that elusive victory. "I think it's important to hold on to hope and just keep working. We gave it everything, and I think the last race was almost like the whole season summed up. I'm glad it's done."
Speaking after qualifying, a clearly disappointed Toto Wolff told Sky Sports: "I heard, today is World Toilet Day so I think that is one to put in the toilet", in the aftermath of the race his mood was little better as he admitted that the W13 would not have pride of place among the team's collection of cars,
"I think this car will always have a special place in our collection, very far back," he joked. "But I think that hopefully the next years we'll do her justice because the learning curve with that car was enormous. Our fundamental understanding of aerodynamic vehicle dynamics, correlation, has really had a step change. And it will also not be forgotten as a car that dominated the Brazilian Grand Prix!"
Seeing the back of the W13 is a view shared by Hamilton who is scheduled for one last outing in the car on Tuesday.
"I am looking forward to the end of Tuesday, which is the last time I have to drive this thing," he said. "I don't ever plan to drive this one again, it won't be one of the ones I request to have in my contract."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Yas Marina here.