Lewis Hamilton will return with ‘even more desire’ in 2022, F1 chief claims

Hamilton just needs one more world title to break Michael Schumacher’s all-time record

Lewis Hamilton will have “even more desire” to win a record eighth Formula 1 title next season, says chief Stefano Domenicali.

The British driver just missed out on the record this season after he was pipped to the title in the final race of the campaign. Hamilton was leading the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but was overtaken by Max Verstappen in the last lap to lose out.

The circumstances around the defeat makes Domenicali believe Hamilton will be back with a vengeance.

“Lewis Hamilton? I’m sure he will recharge his batteries and come back with even more desire than before to win the eighth world title,” he told Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Mercedes lodged protests after the race as they felt Hamilton should have won. Nicholas Latifi crashed with less than ten laps to go which deployed a safety car and when the track was clear race director Michael Masi allowed some cars to unlap themselves. This action meant Verstappen was right behind Hamilton and could overtake.

The team’s protests were dismissed and they have withdrawn their official appeal to get the result overturned. It has been rumoured that Hamilton will retire before the start of the 2022 season but Verstappen doesn’t think he should.

The Dutchman said: “You should also understand this is racing and these things can happen to you.

“I think he should just look back at what he has achieved, and that should give him a lot of comfort and that drive to keep on going.

“He is still trying to challenge for that eighth title, and he can do that again next year, so I don’t see any reason why to give up or stop now.”