Hamilton: Fight against Verstappen ‘reinvigorating’ love for F1
Lewis Hamilton says the fight against Max Verstappen and Red Bull this year has been “reinvigorating the love” he has for Formula 1, bringing him closer to his Mercedes team.


Mercedes announced last Saturday that Hamilton had signed a new two-year contract, ensuring he will remain with the team until at least the end of the 2023 season.
Hamilton’s long-term F1 future had been subject to speculation after he only signed a one-year extension with Mercedes back in February to cover the 2021 season.
PLUS: What Hamilton's contract means for his long-term F1 future
But the British driver always made clear that his future beyond this year would not depend on any on-track success as he went in search of a record-breaking eighth world title.
Hamilton has faced his sternest challenge for an F1 title in over five seasons so far this year against Verstappen, who leads the drivers’ standings by 32 points after winning the last three races.
Speaking after his new contract was announced, Hamilton explained how much he was enjoying the fight against Red Bull and Verstappen, and how his passion to continue racing had not wavered at all.
“At the start of this season, when the cars were so close in performance, pretty much equal, then it was really one of the most exciting times that I’ve had for some time, to be able to have this battle for Red Bull,” Hamilton said.
“Honestly I was really hoping that it would continue on like that through the rest of the year, but as you’ve seen, they’ve taken a huge leap forwards.
“We’re always in different places in our lives, and it’s important that we take time to evaluate.
"It’s important that we do what’s right for us in terms of health and mental wellbeing.
“It’s always a good time to try and reflect and see what’s next. I found myself just waking up, thinking about racing. So I wanted to continue to race.
“And now we’re having this tight battle, yeah, it’s brought me closer to the team, it’s brought me closer to the engineers. It’s making me dig deeper, and I love that.
“I guess it has been reinvigorating the love that I have for this sport and love for what I do.”

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Hamilton has been F1’s leading voice in the series’ recent push to improve diversity and inclusion, and remains heavily engaged with its leaders over plans for the future to help more people from underrepresented backgrounds get into the industry.
Hamilton said that he remained eager to “be a part of helping the sport evolve and be as great as it can be”, and also paid tribute to Mercedes for the support it was giving him to enact long-lasting change.
“It’s amazing to see what Mercedes are doing, the support that they’ve given me through this period with BLM, with turning the whole car black for the second year in a row, for really pushing for a more diverse and inclusive environment,” Hamilton said.
“It’s amazing, the conversations we’ve had. It’s an amazing, new part of the journey that we’ve started.
“For sure, several years ago, I could only have dreamed of being in this position. I’m excited for what that can be.”
Related video

What Hamilton's new contract means for his long-term F1 future, and Mercedes right now
Verstappen: Red Bull must ensure car is not only dominant in Austria

Latest news
FIA finalises 2026 Formula 1 power unit regulations
The FIA has finally approved the wording of the 2026 Formula 1 power unit regulations, which in turn paves the way for Porsche to enter in partnership with Red Bull.
F1 porpoising and roll hoop rules changes ratified by FIA
The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council has approved changes to the floor regulations in Formula 1 for 2023 to prevent the porpoising phenomenon seen this year.
Why Mercedes steered clear of an F1 car concept revamp despite early struggles
Mercedes opted against revamping its Formula 1 car concept despite its early struggles in 2022 as it felt following other designs would "only get you so far."
How one of F1’s greatest names was revived
With its eponymous Formula 1 team falling into obscurity in the 90s, the Brabham name looked relegated to the manufacturers' history books. But after a long legal battle, the family reclaimed its rights and in 2018 launched Brabham Automotive. David Brabham discusses what came next for the iconic brand
How a bad car creates the ultimate engineering challenge
While creating a car that is woefully off the pace is a nightmare scenario for any team, it inadvertently generates the test any engineering department would relish: to turn it into a winner. As Mercedes takes on that challenge in Formula 1 this season, McLaren’s former head of vehicle engineering reveals how the team pulled of the feat in 2009 with Lewis Hamilton
The under-fire F1 driver fighting for his future
Personable, articulate and devoid of the usual racing driver airs and graces, Nicholas Latifi is the last Formula 1 driver you’d expect to receive death threats, but such was the toxic legacy of his part in last year’s explosive season finale. And now, as ALEX KALINAUCKAS explains, he faces a battle to keep his place on the F1 grid…
The strange tyre travails faced by F1’s past heroes
Modern grand prix drivers like to think the tyres they work with are unusually difficult and temperamental. But, says MAURICE HAMILTON, their predecessors faced many of the same challenges – and some even stranger…
The returning fan car revolution that could suit F1
Gordon Murray's Brabham BT46B 'fan car' was Formula 1 engineering at perhaps its most outlandish. Now fan technology has been successfully utilised on the McMurtry Speirling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, could it be adopted by grand prix racing once again?
Hamilton's first experience of turning silver into gold
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has been lumbered with a duff car before the 2022 Mercedes. Back in 2009, McLaren’s alchemists transformed the disastrous MP4-24 into a winning car with Lewis Hamilton at the wheel. And now it’s happening again at his current team, but can the rate of progress be matched this year?
Why few could blame Leclerc for following the example of Hamilton’s exit bombshell
OPINION: Ferrari's numerous strategy blunders, as well as some of his own mistakes, have cost Charles Leclerc dearly in the 2022 Formula 1 title battle in the first half of the season. Though he is locked into a deal with Ferrari, few could blame Leclerc if he ultimately wanted to look elsewhere - just as Lewis Hamilton did with McLaren 10 years prior
The other McLaren exile hoping to follow Perez's path to a top F1 seat
After being ditched by McLaren earlier in his F1 career Sergio Perez fought his way back into a seat with a leading team. BEN EDWARDS thinks the same could be happening to another member of the current grid
How studying Schumacher helped make Coulthard a McLaren F1 mainstay
Winner of 13 grands prix including Monaco and survivor of a life-changing plane crash, David Coulthard could be forgiven for having eased into a quiet retirement – but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, in fact he’s busier than ever, running an award-winning media company and championing diversity in motor racing. Not bad for someone who, by his own admission, wasn’t quite the fastest driver of his generation…