Hamilton destabilized by his title?

Lewis Hamilton had a more difficult end to the season compared to his usual level of performance. The four-time world champion was brilliant in the second half of the season, winning five in six races after the summer break, taking the lead in the Championship against Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and winning the coronation at the end of the Mexican GP where he was only able to save a ninth place after starting from the pits.

The last races were complicated for the Briton who missed the podium at the Brazilian GP after making a mistake in qualifying, while he lost to his teammate Valtteri Bottas in the Abu Dhabi final played last weekend.

“I gave everything but I wouldn't say that I was at 100% of the level I showed this season, recognized Lewis Hamilton. We want to take advantage of it. I still try to get the job done, but it's not easy. Something definitely happens when you win a championship. I celebrated quite a bit in the weeks following my title, but I was careful not to do so in previous races. »

“The energy is no longer the same while the approach to the races remains the same, added the pilot Mercedes. That doesn't worry me though. I will be back next year at the level I showed in the second part of the season. »

Discover the analysis of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix carried out by our special correspondent in issue 2142 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version on all platforms, and on newsstands from Wednesday.