London (AFP)
Six-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton feels "more energized than ever" with postponement of start of F1 season due to coronavirus, "a kind of sabbatical" which is "almost a blessing" for the Briton 35 years old.
The pilot explained, in a video broadcast by his Mercedes team, that his forced absence from the circuits, due to the cancellation or postponement of 10 GPs out of 22 until July due to a pandemic, was "almost a blessing from 'a certain way because it allows us to appreciate even more the things we love and do. "
With this unexpected break, Lewis Hamilton, in search of a 7th world title which would allow him to equal the record held by Michael Schumacher, says he feels "more refreshed and healthier than ever".
"There have been times in the past five years where I figured rest would be good for my body and mind," said the reigning world champion.
"For an athlete in his best years, it is never a good thing to take a retreat for a year, he observes, but a kind of sabbatical leave has been offered to us and I appreciate it", he says.
The season should normally start on July 5 with the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg, behind closed doors to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
For Hamilton, who has not participated in any of the virtual races organized since the beginning of the global containment, the prospect of running without an audience gives "a real feeling of emptiness because the fans are racing".
Still, it will be a first consolation for lovers of F1: "I do not know how exciting it will be for people who watch it on television, but it will be better than nothing," he admits.
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