Hamilton more committed to F1 than ever

SUZUKA – A fired-up Lewis Hamilton on Thursday said he was more committed to ‌Formula One than ever, as the seven-times world champion credited his resurgence in form to a change of attitude.
The 41-year-old cut an increasingly embattled and disconsolate figure as he endured a nightmare debut campaign with Ferrari last year, ​ending a season without a podium finish for the first time in his career.
But ​Formula One’s most successful driver, who ended his podium drought in the second ⁠round of the season in China two weeks ago, seems to be relishing the sport’s new ​rules era, driving every bit like the hungry rookie who made his debut with McLaren in 2007.
“I ​think it’s just a change of attitude, just not letting all the BS that surrounds me coming out of people’s mouths, get in the way of knowing who I am and what I’m able to do,” the Briton ​told reporters ahead of the third race of the season at the Suzuka circuit.
“I was in ​Tokyo between this race and the last race. I ran, like, 100 kilometers. I know that none of ‌the drivers ⁠I’m racing against have trained as hard as I have and given it what I have, especially at my age as well.
“I love that, that I still have that drive to push myself. The commitment is there more than ever,” he added.
Hamilton, who has won 105 races and took ​six of his seven titles ​with former team ⁠Mercedes, is fourth in the standings, one point behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
The Monegasque has been Hamilton’s main rival over the first two races, with Mercedes ​again dominant and Ferrari a clear second.
The pair engaged in a fierce ​but entertaining wheel-to-wheel ⁠battle for the podium in China.
Hamilton said it was the most fun he has had racing since his position-swapping battle for the win with former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg at the 2014 Bahrain Grand ⁠Prix.
He compared ​this season’s back-and-forth racing, with drivers passing and repassing ​each other, to go-karting, describing it as the “best form of racing”.
“But that’s how racing should be… it shouldn’t be like one ​move is done and that’s it,” he said.