LEWIS HAMILTON insisted on Friday he never said he was going to quit Formula One despite the traumatic end to his 2021 world championship campaign.
The British driver, 37, was speaking for the first time since he lost the championship in controversial circumstances to Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi on December 12.
“I never ever said I was going to stop,” said seven-time champion Hamilton at the launch of the 2022 Mercedes car.
“I love doing what I do, and it is such a privilege working with this large group of people and you feel like you are part of a family. There is nothing quite like it.”
Reflecting on the moments after the Yas Marina race, Hamilton, who appeared alongside new team-mate George Russell and team boss Toto Wolff, added: “It was a difficult time for me and a time where I needed to take a step back and focus on the present.
“I had my family all around me and creating great memories.
“I eventually got to a point where I decided I would be attacking again coming into another season and working with Toto and George.”
Gavan Casey is joined by Bernard Jackman and Murray Kinsella to discuss the prospect of South Africa replacing Italy in the Six Nations and reflect on Ireland’s performance in Paris, before looking ahead to the URC action this weekend.
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
That ref is a bit whistle happy. Being particularly harsh on KK I’d think.
@Jason Pierce: he is a joke the cork keeper should get a oscar for acting
@Tom Dowling: yellow was for throwing the hurl…
@IrishOwl: she threw the defenders hurl away. Not at someone. How is that foul play? I haven’t read the rule book so I’m open for correction.
@Jason Pierce: ref loves Cork, thats why
@Jason Pierce: apparently its there somewhere i believe. Sportsmanship and all that….
@Oisin Curry: oh that must be it… my bad ? Ffs
@IrishOwl: why was the goalie acting then the usual cork stuff
@IrishOwl: and penalty what was that for?
@Jamie Walsh: and about three or four other frees, he gave one for charging that was a joke
@IrishOwl: nothing about yellow for throwing a hurl away
@Tom Dowling: usual stuff like winning another All Ireland ? Ffs pipe down
@Anthony Davoren: thats that settled then. Anyway… who cares.. Cork won !
@IrishOwl: brilliant analysis, who cares? Handed an all Ireland ffs
@Jamie Walsh: handed an All Ireland ? Lol. Sure all Kilkennys wides had no bearing on the result.. go back to bed. The hatred for Cork is strong today.
@IrishOwl: I’m wide awake and hate to point the obvious but the amount of wides registered by a team has no bearing on scoreboard?! , but if one team scores when handed penalties and frees that have no place in a competitive match let alone an AI final well that might I’m thinking
Ref is woeful
Ref should be ashamed of himself
That ref should be ashamed of himself.
What women if only cork men hurlers had the same bottle
Up the Rebels. Well done!
A complete joke of a referee kilkenny were totally robbed, working hard all year to reach AI then cheated by an imbecile
Denise Gaule might just pip it. Sorry I mean Kilkenny of course
Heap of shite. *anny hurling
@Paulie T: anny hurling?