Lewis Hamilton reveals he suffered from depression early in his career

The problem of mental health in Formula 1 is still a taboo subject, although it has increasingly come back to the table in recent years. Take the example of George Russell who, in 2022, had opened up about the pressure he may be under as a Formula 1 driver, especially on social media, and had confided that he was seeking help from a psychologist. This time, it was his teammate Lewis Hamilton who spoke to discuss his experience.

The British spoke at length to the Times about his early years and his mental health issues from a young age, admitting to having suffered from depression from his teenage years. “I think it was the pressure of racing and the difficulties at school, the bullying. I had no one to talk to. I struggled with my mental health throughout my life, I suffered from depression very early, at the age of 13., he told the British media. When I was in my twenties, I went through some very difficult phases.

Hamilton attempted "silent retreats"

Lewis Hamilton started the karting from the age of 6 and has always been immersed in the world of motorsport, he who had been spotted by McLaren from the age of 13. Due to his skin colour in particular, the Briton was isolated in this environment for a long time and, despite the success he encountered in his early years in Formula 1 (debut in 2007, world champion in 2008), the current driver Mercedes reveals that he struggled with depression during his early seasons in the premier class.

However, at the age of 39 today, the future pilot Ferrari says he feels much better mentally, and above all more mature, than he was at the beginning of his career. “You learn things that were passed down to you from your parents, you notice patterns, how you react to things, how you can change them. So what might have made me angry in the past doesn’t make me angry today. I’m so much more refined.”

Lewis Hamilton also admitted that he had tried "silent retreats" to improve mental health – like Post-Abu Dhabi 2021 weeks, where he was removed from the media world, leaving doubts about the continuation of his career – and which he would now like to discuss with specialist therapists.

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