Lewis Hamilton ‘doesn’t care’ about 2023 season as he targets future success

Sam Cooper 14 Jul 2023 5:15 PM

Lewis Hamilton speaking to the media. Austria June 2023.

Lewis Hamilton said he “doesn’t care” where he finishes in 2023, insisting it is the championship in 2024 he has a focus on.

Hamilton is already 134 points behind championship leader Max Verstappen meaning that even if Mercedes were to massively improve their performance, a title bid for the previous seven time champion is unlikely.

In his 17th season as a Formula 1 driver, Hamilton has made it clear he only has eyes for the sport’s biggest prize and ahead of his podium finish at his home grand prix, he revealed just how he feels about the 2023 campaign as F1 approaches the summer break.

Lewis Hamilton “doesn’t care” about 2023 result

Speaking to Channel 4, Hamilton said he “doesn’t care” where he finishes the 2023 standings.

“去年是非常,非常,非常努力,”汉密尔顿said. “I can’t even put words how difficult it was for the team.

“The car was just…I can’t say anymore and obviously the work we’ve done in terms of towards the end of the year. Obviously we had a good race [in Sao Paulo] but then to start this year, again, kind of on the back foot.

“It’s definitely been a much more positive year for us, I think we’ve made bigger strides. We’ve had some good results on the podium, it’s more it’s really hard to predict where we’re going with the steps that we’re starting to take.

“这个周末我们有一个新的翼这不是一个拥抱e update, but people work so hard just for that wing so I’m hoping that it helps us take a step in the right direction. Bit by bit as we bolt on these things, the car’s becoming more and more of a race car.

“Look if we’re competing like last year towards the end of this season, on one side that’s a good thing on another, the other teams have probably switched off and focused on the next year.

“I really don’t care what position I finish in this year. I’m just focused on just trying to give the best development information for the team, working with the guys to make sure we steer this car in the right way and when we start the first race or the first test next year we hit the ground running.

“We don’t have bouncing, we have the rear downforce we need and the car’s efficient and we can keep up with everybody, that’s my dream. So I’m looking further down the road.”

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Lewis Hamilton one of a number in the race for best of the rest

While Verstappen is the runaway leader at the top of the championship, the race for second place is as tough as it has been for a long time. Considering he is driving the same car as the dominant Dutchman, Sergio Perez is expected to take that P2 spot but his poor form has opened the door for others to have a run.

Fernando Alonso, with his six podiums in the opening 10 races, is also a leading contender but Hamilton is next in line.

Like Alonso, the Mercedes man has perhaps been the most consistent of all the drivers behind Verstappen with Hamilton scoring less than 10 points on just two occasions this season but he will admit that the W14 is still lacking in some areas, notably in the high speed corners of both Austria and Silverstone.

Hamilton clearly has bigger things on his mind but should not so easily throw a possible P2 finish, especially if it stops Red Bull from enjoying a perfect season.