Not that the 36-year-old Briton, who has probably the most race wins or podium locations in F1 historical past, is considering like that.
“Simply in that one second, it is about being the best you may be and dwelling to your full potential.
“In order that’s one thing that I simply seek for and [to stay] as centered and pushed as I may probably be.
“I believe the stunning factor is that I have been racing this lengthy and I nonetheless have that very same feeling after I fail or after I do not succeed, and I flip that right into a constructive and use it as gas.
“I assumed that that will put on off as I obtained older, nevertheless it’s not.”
It is an strategy that has seen Hamilton rise to the very prime of his sport, passing a few of his idols alongside the best way.
Hamilton is now combating for an eighth world title this season, a championship which might pull him away from a file he presently shares with racing legend Michael Schumacher.
That is fairly the accolade for the boy who was expelled from faculty all these years in the past and whose father, Anthony, juggled three jobs, re-mortgaged the household residence and dipped into his life financial savings to maintain his son in karting.
“My dream was at all times to get to Components One, to do one thing like Ayrton Senna — he had three world titles,” Hamilton added.
“After which to see myself match him at one level, after which transcend that.
“To assume that I am right here at present, the place most individuals do not even get one championship and to have seven may be very, very loopy nonetheless.
“However yearly after I come again, it is like a reset. Like, I am not a champion. I’ve no titles. I am going for the primary.
“That is form of my mentality. However an eighth? I do not know. I by no means actually say.”
Maybe the largest problem standing in the best way of an eighth world title is long-time rival Max Verstappen.
“I believe for us it is simply ensuring we proceed to benefit from the journey, to not apply an excessive amount of stress to ourselves as a result of we have been right here many, many instances earlier than,” he mentioned.
“However not let that need and that craving for fulfillment overpower the whole lot and put added stress on us that we do not actually need.
“However it’s all about preparation, ensuring we’re the most effective ready we may be.”
Inspiration from Tom Brady
Along with his personal need, Hamilton has discovered inspiration from all corners of society and from all method of sports activities.
Chatting with CNN from Austin forward of the US Grand Prix this weekend, the motive force acknowledged how a lot he can be taught from the likes of NFL veteran Tom Brady.
Like Hamilton, Brady is taken into account top-of-the-line within the historical past of his sport and the similarities do not cease there.
Whereas the Brit has gained seven world championships, the 44-year-old quarterback can boast seven Tremendous Bowl titles and remains to be competing on the highest degree at present.
“I believe, naturally, whenever you’re an athlete, you positively see folks that you may relate to,” Hamilton defined.
“I’ve had the privilege of watching Tom’s success and we have been truly neighbors for a second actually.
“I believe it is actually form of the mentality of an athlete: the drive, the coaching regime, the eye to element and the form of the fixed push for perfection.
“But additionally the teamwork ingredient of being the group chief, being part of a big group of people who find themselves all pushed in direction of a standard aim.
“He is such an unbelievable chief, so I take extra inspiration from that.”
‘I am by no means going to offer it up’
Such an extended profession just isn’t one thing Hamilton is critically entertaining however the driver is way from hanging up his gloves.
He nonetheless possesses that aggressive edge — a trait honed by racing his brother on laptop video games from an early age — and nonetheless has that urge for food for adrenaline.
“I do not assume I will be racing till I am 50. However who is aware of? I am for certain going to be doing issues prefer it,” he mentioned, smiling.
“Whether or not it is skydiving, whether or not it is browsing, whether or not it is simply going to an area observe, go-karting with associates or no matter it’s.
“I believe I am by no means going to offer it up essentially however maybe, professionally, I will need to.”
Mission to assist off the observe
Whereas rising into the elite sportsman he’s at present, Hamilton has continued to make use of his world platform to struggle for extra than simply success on the observe.
He has been an outspoken voice on points resembling local weather change and equality and has put stress on his sport, and wider society, to change into extra tolerant and face points round lack of range.
It is a mission maybe born out of his personal life experiences — Hamilton says the training system within the UK “failed” him rising up after he was kicked out of college for one thing he says he did not do.
“I used to be a type of,” Hamilton mentioned.
“Just one% of the 40,000 folks within the trade within the UK alone are from Black backgrounds,” Hamilton mentioned, admitting there was nonetheless an enormous quantity of labor to be executed.
“We have got to alter the pipeline. We have got to get extra eyes, get extra encouragement for these younger youngsters to get into STEM topics in order that they notice that there are such a lot of nice avenues that engineering can result in.”
