“This Is the Right Thing For Me”: Lewis Hamilton on His Ferrari Move & What Comes Next

Photo Credit: Lewis Hamilton/Instagram

Last month, on 20th January, seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton made global headlines with his move to Ferrari. After more than a decade with Mercedes—where he won six of his titles, championed diversity, and was seen as a future team stakeholder—his decision to leave was a shock. Many assumed he would retire with the Silver Arrows, but for Hamilton, it was time for something new.

A week ago, Hamilton and his new teammate, Charles Leclerc, took the stage to unveil Ferrari’s latest Formula 1 challenger—where Tems also performed. Beyond racing, Hamilton has placed himself as a cultural figure, with ventures in fashion, film, and business. This year, he will co-chair the Met Gala alongside Colman Domingo, Pharrell Williams, A$AP Rocky, and Anna Wintour, with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Tyla also on the host committee.

In his first in-depth interview since the announcement, he sat down with TIME to discuss his move, the criticism that followed, and his relentless pursuit of victory.

Read excerpts from the interview below:

On leaving Mercedes for Ferrari

“I remember getting off the phone and almost shaking. I was like, Oh God! I literally just signed with Mercedes. It was a lot to take in, and my emotions were really high. So I honestly had to go for a walk.”

He spent the next few days meditating on the decision before realising where his heart was leading him. “My eyes felt really calm and present,” he says. “This is the right thing for me.”

On embracing the challenge

“Honestly, I thought all my firsts were done. Your first car, your first crash, your first date, first day of school. The excitement I got by the idea of, ‘this is my first time in the red suit, the first time in the Ferrari.’ Wow. Honestly, I’ve never been so excited.”

On being compared to other drivers

“Don’t ever compare me to anybody else,” he states. “I’m the first and only Black driver that’s ever been in this sport. I’m built different. I’ve been through a lot. I’ve had my own journey. You can’t compare me to another 40-year-old, past or present, Formula One driver in history. Because they are nothing like me. I’m hungry, driven, don’t have a wife and kids. I’m focused on one thing, and that’s winning. That’s my No. 1 priority.”

On criticism from the racing world

“I’ve always welcomed the negativity,” says Hamilton. “I never, ever reply to any of the older, ultimately, white men who have commented on my career and what they think I should be doing. How you show up, how you present yourself, how you perform slowly dispels that.”

On ageing in F1

“The old man is a state of mind,” says Hamilton. “Of course your body ages. But I’m never going to be an old man.”

Find the full interview here.

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