Lewis Hamilton says he is unlike any Formula 1 driver he has seen before and has confirmed his determination to continue racing into his mid-40s.
The seven-time world champion recently said he wants to continue in the sport to fulfill his dream of competing in Africa, where he has campaigned for the Grand Prix for many years.
F1 has signed a 10-year deal with the central-east African nation of Rwanda, which will be the first race on the continent since 1993, starting in the early 2030s.
Hamilton is 41 and will be at least 45 when this race takes place, but he said at a press conference ahead of this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix that he should be considered a special case.
The Briton said the sport has “never been like me in 70 years” in Formula 1 and feels it is “set up differently”.
“Obviously there are age-related challenges that I can’t predict. But there are so many preconceived notions on this journey that your reaction time slows down,” he said.
“Did you see my reaction time in the last race? It was faster than some of the guys here.
“As long as you’re willing to sacrifice everything, I’m where I am now — I can’t say I’ll want to be doing what I’m doing in four years — but I’m still all in. I will be for the foreseeable future.”