Lewis Hamilton feels that 2022 was the "greatest year" of his career so far in terms of the support he received from fans. The season was a difficult one for Hamilton and Mercedes, with the team experiencing issues such as porpoising on their W13. With teammate George Russell securing the Silver Arrows' sole victory of the campaign, Hamilton finished 2022 without a race win, marking the first time that this has happened during his years in Formula 1. Through the difficulties, Hamilton credits his fanbase with keeping his motivation up. "The fans continue to keep me going," the seven-time World Champion said in an interview shared by Mercedes. "This whole year, I was just hopeful we would get there. I kept trying to be the best teammate I could be to everyone I worked with. "We were all in the same boat, stuck together no matter what but we're all rowing in the same direction, needing to stay aligned. We just kept on working to make it through and get the best out of every opportunity."
Hamilton reflects on 'journey' with fans
While his on-track fortunes were mixed during the season, Hamilton believes that the struggles further enhanced his relationship with the fans. "I think this has been the greatest year in my career in terms of fan support," he explained. "There has been so much love and that's so appreciated in a time where the world is going through a really tough period. "To see everyone excited for our sport, weekend in, weekend out, is so good. It's the most excited I've seen the fans and the most passionate, so the support feels like it is magnified. "I felt like we've been on a journey together more than ever before."
Hamilton selects highlights of the year
In terms of his on-track highlights from 2022, there are several races that Hamilton looks back on fondly. "Budapest felt great. Zandvoort was good too, and so was Silverstone with the atmosphere and being able to finish on the podium there," he said. "Brazil was a highlight for how happy the team was. I was nervous of losing the 1-2 and was grateful we crossed the line and secured it. "I've not seen the team that happy in a while, so that felt great, given where I got knocked back to at the start."
Most read
