Lewis Hamilton hits out at critics: ‘I never doubted myself’

Seven-time world champion proves ‘you always have it’ as he moves to within 41 points of leader Kimi Antonelli with win in Spain

An emotional Lewis Hamilton admitted following his maiden grand prix victory for Ferrari that there were days last year when he wondered whether he had “lost it” because of his age, adding that he was “only human” and that criticism of his driving had “penetrated deeply”.

But the 41-year-old insisted that he had “never stopped believing in himself” as he joined this year’s title race, sticking two fingers up at his doubters in the process.

Hamilton’s first grand prix victory in 686 days capped a wonderful day for British motorsport with British drivers locking out the podium at a Formula One race for the first time since the 1968 US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, a race in which Sir Jackie Stewart led home Graham Hill and John Surtees.

This time it was Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Lando Norris who finished second and third after championship leader Kimi Antonelli was forced to retire from second place with five laps remaining.

But the day undoubtedly belonged to Hamilton, who joined Ferrari from Mercedes at the start of last year in one of the biggest shock transfers F1 has known, only to suffer a difficult maiden campaign in which he failed to finish on a podium for the first time in his career.

Hamilton admitted that the voices of those saying that he was too old, too slow and was damaging his legacy had “got to him”.

“There were moments where I thought I would never get to win again,” he said. “After a year like last year there were moments when I thought ‘Sheesh maybe it’s true that you get to a point where you lose it’. [But] I have proven that you don’t – you always have it.

“It takes work, perseverance, constantly believing in yourself, to tap into your inner self, keep yourself alive and keep yourself fit. I feel great physically, racing with 19-year-olds who are doing amazing.

Hamilton added: “I am only human so there are moments where I see the stuff and for sure there were moments where I allowed it to get to me and penetrate deeply, but then I went through a sequence of unplugging from that matrix.”

Hamilton, who celebrated with his race engineer Carlo Santi on the podium and teared up as he watched his pit crew singing the Italian anthem, said he had “rebuilt his mind” over the winter, working harder than ever. He spent Christmas with family in Colorado, where he has a home, taking his niece and nephew skiing and generally “disconnecting” and “finding inner peace”. He also began dating reality TV star and celebrity entrepreneur Kim Kardashian.

“I spent time with real people who know me and have never doubted me and stuck by me my whole life,” Hamilton said. “I was on a mission from Christmas Day, the training was the hardest I have ever experienced. The thing I know is to never second guess yourself, never doubt yourself.

“I rebuilt my mind to get me back to the point where I was. It’s a great feeling to stand on that podium.”

Norris said Hamilton had “stuck his middle finger up at his doubters” adding it was “great to see him back”.

Hamilton’s old team principal Toto Wolff, meanwhile, said he was worried about the threat now posed by his former driver, who moved to within 41 points of Antonelli in the championship. “If he smells blood, he goes. I’ve seen it many times,” Wolff said.

Hamilton said he was not thinking about the championship yet, but added that he felt the team were on an upwards trajectory, thanking Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur for “listening to him”.

“The changes that I’ve asked for and pushed for – I’ve now got the right team around me and I can do what I do best,” he said. “Ultimately Fred really listened at the end, I really asked for some changes and he enabled them to happen.

“Honestly with the way the year started out I have not really been thinking about [the championship]. Of course what we have worked towards is being able to win but it takes time, Mercedes have come out the gate with a blistering car.

“We know we have a power deficit. As I said we have got a good car at the core and we can keep adding performance.

“It’s very hard to think long term at the moment. We need to take it one race at a time, one week at a time. We need to keep pushing and enjoy it – and have fun with it as well.

“I am probably going to sleep in this red top tonight. It’s great to have that horse at the top.”

Credit: Telegraph