Hamilton vows to be a more aggressive driver in F1 2022
Lewis Hamilton has vowed to be "a more aggressive driver" in the 2022 Formula 1 season, following his controversial battles with Max Verstappen in last year's championship.
The two 2021 title protagonists clashed repeatedly on-track during the course of their season-long battle, with each penalised for causing collisions at various points of the campaign.
But in many cases where Verstappen aggressively attacked Hamilton, the Mercedes driver generally backed out of contact – and in the case of the British Grand Prix, where Hamilton put a forceful move to the inside at Copse, where Verstappen did not do likewise the pair collided.
Their respective defences also came under scrutiny late in the 2021 campaign, with Verstappen's initial move to try and hold Hamilton back during the Brazilian GP putting confusion over F1's racing rules in the spotlight, while Hamilton went off track on the first lap of the Abu Dhabi decider and was allowed to keep his position, to Red Bull's fury.
When asked by Autosport if he had considered Verstappen's 2021 on-track attitude during the off-season and if he had decided to be more aggressive this year as a result of that reflection, Hamilton replied: "I will be a more aggressive driver this year, you'll see."
Speaking earlier on Friday during the pre-FP1 press conference at this weekend's Bahrain race, the same question regarding Hamilton potentially changing his wheel-to-wheel for 2022 was put to Verstappen.
He replied: "I don't know. I mean, I guess you shouldn't ask me that question."
Hamilton also stated that a desire to avenge the controversial circumstances of his 2021 defeat was "not my psyche".
Hamilton was allowed to keep the lead in Abu Dhabi after Verstappen's forceful lap one move. He says he plans to be more aggressive in 2022
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
He added: "That's not how I'm approaching this season. I'm just approaching the season trying to be the best that I can be.
PLUS: The challenges Hamilton must overcome to topple Schumacher's greatest F1 record
"I want to see if there's a way I can somehow raise my game – drive at least how I was at the end of last season.
"And just that collaboration with the team, there's going to be lots and lots of hurdles along the way. But I love that. I don't have that [revenge] viewpoint.
"I think I'll just try and be the best driver I can be this year. I think there is still more that I can do, both in and out of the car.
"We still have a lot of work to do on the diversity front here as a sport, so I'll continue to fight for that too."
Related video
Hamilton has ‘good meeting’ with FIA president amid F1 Abu Dhabi report wait
Mercedes plans F1 floor experiments in bid to cure porpoising
The two F1 rules problems Perez’s recent mishaps expose
The two F1 rules problems Perez’s recent mishaps expose The two F1 rules problems Perez’s recent mishaps expose
10 things we learned at the 2023 F1 Japanese Grand Prix
10 things we learned at the 2023 F1 Japanese Grand Prix 10 things we learned at the 2023 F1 Japanese Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
The F1 treasure map where Hamilton hopes Mercedes hits gold
The F1 treasure map where Hamilton hopes Mercedes hits gold The F1 treasure map where Hamilton hopes Mercedes hits gold
Hamilton: Mercedes needs best ever six months of F1 development to catch Red Bull
Hamilton: Mercedes needs best ever six months of F1 development to catch Red Bull Hamilton: Mercedes needs best ever six months of F1 development to catch Red Bull
Mercedes: Team orders to protect Hamilton despite “no sense” criticism
Mercedes: Team orders to protect Hamilton despite “no sense” criticism Mercedes: Team orders to protect Hamilton despite “no sense” criticism
Evans explains Toyota's WRC Rally Chile tyre strategy mistake
Evans explains Toyota's WRC Rally Chile tyre strategy mistake Evans explains Toyota's WRC Rally Chile tyre strategy mistake
WRC Chile: Tanak in control as Toyota tyre call backfires
WRC Chile: Tanak in control as Toyota tyre call backfires WRC Chile: Tanak in control as Toyota tyre call backfires
Albuquerque enjoys "wild" unpredictability of 2023 IMSA title fight
Albuquerque enjoys "wild" unpredictability of 2023 IMSA title fight Albuquerque enjoys "wild" unpredictability of 2023 IMSA title fight
Espargaro fumes as Aprilia MotoGP reliability gremlins strike again
Espargaro fumes as Aprilia MotoGP reliability gremlins strike again Espargaro fumes as Aprilia MotoGP reliability gremlins strike again
Ranking the top 10 Benetton F1 drivers
Ranking the top 10 Benetton F1 drivers Ranking the top 10 Benetton F1 drivers
When Mansell and Senna settled their differences in an F1 pitlane scuffle
When Mansell and Senna settled their differences in an F1 pitlane scuffle When Mansell and Senna settled their differences in an F1 pitlane scuffle
The F1 treasure map where Hamilton hopes Mercedes hits gold
The F1 treasure map where Hamilton hopes Mercedes hits gold The F1 treasure map where Hamilton hopes Mercedes hits gold
The two F1 rules problems Perez’s recent mishaps expose
The two F1 rules problems Perez’s recent mishaps expose The two F1 rules problems Perez’s recent mishaps expose
How football has posed difficult questions for F1
How football has posed difficult questions for F1 How football has posed difficult questions for F1
The fans that offer a ray of light in an increasingly partisan F1
The fans that offer a ray of light in an increasingly partisan F1 The fans that offer a ray of light in an increasingly partisan F1
Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip
How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.