Hamilton not fully fit yet after being ill from covid-19
Dec.13 - Lewis Hamilton says he is still feeling the effects of his recent covid-19 infection.
The seven time world champion missed the last Sakhir GP with the illness but said after testing negative he was determined to drive even if "one of my arms was hanging off".
"That's what we do as racing drivers," Hamilton said after qualifying not only behind his teammate Valtteri Bottas, but also pole sitter Max Verstappen.
"It definitely won't be the easiest of races physically but I will manage and give it absolutely everything I've got."
The 35-year-old Mercedes driver said he was reluctant to go into "too much detail" about how he is feeling.
"I really feel for those who are and have suffered from it, those who have lost ones from it and I can understand how because it's a nasty virus," Hamilton said.
"I'm not 100 percent. I still have some feeling within my lungs. The last two days were the toughest I have had in the car this year," he told RTL in Abu Dhabi.
"I think it's overall energy. One of the symptoms is that it really drains you so I've been trying to sleep as much as I can but recharging is not as easy as it normally has been in the past.
"I lost a good amount of weight, just in that week so as I said, not 100 percent the same as I was the last time I raced but it's by no means going to get in the way of me going out and giving it my all," added Hamilton.
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Well, sorry to read this Lewis but it would have done you no harm giving the Abu Dhabi race a miss. If you're not 100% then you're not doing the team any favours. You should have let somebody fitter & younger to take your place again. Your immune system will be compromised & you could get Covid again. In my opinion, just because you didn't want George in the car again, you came back too soon. You haven't even sounded very well throughtout the last 3 days
There was NO WAY Sir LEWY was going to let anyone else drive that car.... and LIBERTY need to put a stop to this GOING DOWN ON ONE KNEE CRAP, Hamilton does not run F1
Agree. I am not a Lewis hater. All lives matter, black and white, enough of this knee farce. The fans are intelligent and know that there are at least three drivers who will get results if driving the Mercedes
Abu Dhabi race totally boring. Let’s hope next year brings something new to this ,now very dull sport. Lewis should have given George the opportunity to show his skill again - very selfish of Lewis in my opinion.
Lewis appears to be running the team not Toto . who said " we will wait to see how Lewis feels" Very selfish and unsafe to race when he admits he was energy depleted and not fully fit. George should have been in the car., poor decision Mercedes
In my opinion Hamiltons motivation to drive when not 100% was obvious. If George were in the car he would either win the race or Mercedes would have to come up with yet another way to stop him, then explain it away. Hamiltons Ego couldn't take the facts, Mercedes Car wins races drivin by any Good Driver in Formula 1. Just an observation, David
Conspiracy Theory - as Mercedes had both championships in the bag, they were instructed by Liberty Media to throw the last 2 races in order to relieve the boredom. Discuss.........