Hamilton opens up on father relationship
In an emotional post, Lewis Hamilton has poured his heart out on his relationship with his father as the pair reconnect over the winter break.
The six-time Formula 1 world champion has credited Anthony as a pinnacle figure in starting his racing career from working multiple jobs to provide funding for his karting career to helping secure his McLaren deal when he was just 13-years-old.
In an emotional post, Lewis Hamilton has poured his heart out on his relationship with his father as the pair reconnect over the winter break.
The six-time Formula 1 world champion has credited Anthony as a pinnacle figure in starting his racing career from working multiple jobs to provide funding for his karting career to helping secure his McLaren deal when he was just 13-years-old.
But their relationship soured in 2010 with Anthony stepping away from his son’s management team which saw the pair become distant to the point they stopped speaking to each other.
Over the past year, Hamilton’s father has been regularly spotted within the F1 paddock and Mercedes garage as the pair began to repair their relationship.
This has led to the 35-year-old reconciling with his father over the F1 winter break and helping him ramp up his pre-season training and preparations.
“Our journey hasn’t been an easy one, we’ve faced so many obstacles as individuals but also as a family,” Hamilton wrote on his Instagram account. “My dad and I haven’t had the easiest of relationships. He worked so hard to create an opportunity for us as a family and because of him I am where I am today.
“In the search for success, with all the pressure it put on us all, we were so immersed in the drive to succeed that we that we lost sight of what was most important, our relationship. Over time, we lost that father son bond and it has been something we have both wanted back for so long.
“The past couple years we’ve been growing closer and this winter break I asked my dad to come visit me so we could spend some time together, just us. We hadn’t done this before so to finally get to spend quality time with him has brought me so much happiness. I just wanted to share this with you.
“Family is the most important thing in the world. You can’t chose your family but you can make it work with them no matter your differences, they are the ones that will be there when you have nothing. Sending everyone positivity and love.”
Focusing on his 2020 F1 season preparations Hamilton has revealed he weighs 73kg, five kilograms lighter than last year, and feels he’s had “one of the best winters I’ve had training”.
Hamilton’s next F1 duty will be helping launch the Mercedes 2020 car, the W11, on February 14 ahead of the start of pre-season testing at Circuit de Catalunya which gets underway on February 19.
