Hamilton picks out highs and lows of 2019 F1 season

After wrapping up an historic sixth Formula 1 world title, Lewis Hamilton has reflected on plenty of highs and lows he’s experienced across the 2019 season including a win in Monaco which acted as one of his “least favourite” races of the year.

Hamilton may have dominated to the 2019 F1 world crown with 11 race victories while also helping Mercedes secure its own sixth world constructors’ championship, the British driver says a number of moments came as low points which spurred him on throughout the season.

While error-strewn races in Germany and Brazil stand out as clear negatives, Hamilton also points to his win in Monaco as an unfavoured moment with a strategy call forcing him to defend against Max Verstappen on worn tyres for the majority of the race.

“Monaco is the least favourite probably of the year. Actually, second least, because Hockenheim is probably the least. The best ones? Mexico was awesome. Mexico, Silverstone was great, France was pretty awesome. But I don’t really remember every one.

“Brazil definitely wasn’t a great one, but I think it’s really important to often acknowledge the good parts of the weekends rather than always just focus on the negatives.

“Naturally the negative of not finishing firstly in the position that I should have, second or third, the failures and mistakes, it’s good to acknowledge those also, but it’s good to take away from it the positives, and there were plenty of positives to take from the weekend.”

Despite his ups and downs throughout 2019, Hamilton feels both he and Mercedes are in the best position they’ve ever been thanks to the experiences they’ve learnt from as a team.

“I think we’re very proud of the job that we’ve done collectively as a team, and what’s great is that our heads are still down, we’re still focused on how we can improve, and there’s not a moment that we think will be perfect,” he explained.

“We as a team are looking at where we can improve next year, as we’re going to need to, just continue to raise the bar, which is not easy with a season like this.

“Still striving for perfection, so our goal is to try and do a better year somehow next year, but we have no idea what will come and what obstacles we will be faced with. I do think we are the best team we have ever been, the most united group of people that have ever been, and the most focused globally. The best prepared.”

Hamilton will hope to equal Michael Schumacher’s all-time F1 world titles tally in 2020 as he aims to defend his drivers’ crown, while Mercedes can set a new record for most consecutive F1 world constructors’ championships with a seventh straight crown next year.