Lewis' Retirement Would Be Disappointing, but Not Unprecedented

As we have reported before, Lewis has not made a public statement after the last F1 race of the 2021 season except for the quick post-race interview, which was mandatory by current rules. Since then, Lewis has not said anything to any member of the media, and things are awfully quiet on social media as well.

The British driver has unfollowed everyone he followed on Instagram, but we cannot interpret that in any way. Things are almost as quiet on his Facebook page, where he only follows 84 people, and most of them are celebrities. We are not going to judge his social media presence, as it is understandable to want to take a break occasionally.

The break after the 2021 season should be well-received by both drivers and staff, and it brings time to think things through. If Lewis does decide against continuing his contract with Mercedes-AMG, the team will be the first to know. Such a decision would be surprising, to say the least, while also leaving an empty spot on the team.

While weighing in the rumors, it was easy to remember that we had seen such a retirement just a few years ago. Back in 2016, on the day of the FIA Prize Giving ceremony, Nico Rosberg announced his retirement from Formula 1. Toto Wolff, his team principal, was quick to be notified, and he supported the decision after Nico presented his clear judgment on the matter.

At the time of his retirement, Nico Rosberg was Lewis Hamilton's teammate, and he retired just after winning the Formula 1 World Championship title, which was his childhood dream. Both Nico and Lewis had the same team principal at the time, and Lewis still has Toto Wolff by his side. Most recently, the two decided to skip the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony together.

While Hamilton's disappointment after missing his eighth world title is impossible to understand but relatable in a way, we are not sure retirement would be the best solution here. Lewis does have a contract for 2022, but he also needs to want to race and prove something before embarking on this journey.

After all, Nico Rosberg also retired from F1 despite signing a contract extension with Mercedes-AMG earlier that year. With that in mind, It would not be impossible for Hamilton to retire. He is one of the best-paid athletes in the world, and he could put personal satisfaction ahead of everything else.

It would also mean a big disappointment to his fans, who expect him to come back on track in the 2022 season and fight for another title. Doing so is the thing that most people expect Lewis Hamilton to do, but the Brit might have different ideas in his mind. According to Bernie Ecclestone, Lewis wants to become a fashion entrepreneur.

Well, unless Lewis wants to knit his clothing line himself, it is reasonable to think that he could pull it off without quitting F1. Except for unusually strict contract clauses that would forbid it, Lewis could go ahead and create a personal fashion line and sell it as he pleases without any interference from the sport or his team.

There is a good chance that even if such a clause existed in his contract, Lewis might get it negotiated out of the agreement if the team wants to have him on the grid in 2022. If he does quit, Max will probably dominate the 2022 season with ease unless something unforeseen happens with the performance of his next racing car.

Lewis's next teammate, George Russell, definitely has talent going for him, but some think that he might not be ready yet to outgo Hamilton's performance. With that in mind, if Mercedes-AMG manages to provide a competitive racing car next year, Russell has the best reason in the world to give it the beans.

On the other hand, it would be nice to have Lewis on the grid in 2022 and see him race Max Verstappen for the title yet again. Even if Lewis does not win his eighth title, he will prove that he can get up even after suffering such disappointment. And doing so would matter more than just proving a point at the end of the season.

As George Custer reportedly said, "It's not how many times you get knocked down that count, it's how many times you get back up." Any boxer will say the same, and a seven-time world champion should know better than to quit even when he feels that he deserves to win the last race of the season.