Lewis Hamilton addresses F1 success: 'Not all it's cracked up to be'

Lewis Hamilton has stated that success in F1 is “not all it's cracked up to be”, insisting it means little without having the right people alongside him.

Hamilton sits as the most successful driver in F1 history with seven championships, 105 race wins and over 200 podiums to his name.

His most successful run came during the 2014 to 2021 period when Mercedes dominated at the front of the field, with his more recent seasons seeing the Briton slip further back in the pecking order.

However, his accolades have cemented his status as one of the sport's greatest-ever drivers - but Hamilton highlighted he cares less about his statistics and more about those who have been by his side during his journey.

“Having success is not all that it's cracked up to be,” Hamilton told F1. “It can be lonely at the top, especially when you're the first. 

“It's nothing without family and without your team and without people that you rally with.

“If you can't share it and be in the moment, then it's kind of all for nothing.”

Hamilton also sits as one of the most experienced drivers as he endures his 20th F1 season, trailing only Fernando Alonso for grand prix entries.

Having experienced multiple highs and lows throughout his career, Hamilton asserted that his personality and style have been shaped by people who have attempted to belittle him.

“I would say the [moments] that have shaped me the most have been environmental,” he said.

“Beatings, fights, bullying, name-calling, all those sorts of things. People telling me to go back to my country - all those are sorts of things that I have just put in my pocket to fill me. 

“And those are the things that have shaped me into who I am today. 

“It's an accumulation of a lot of those paper cuts or wounds.”