“It’s Hard to Be Friends…”: Lewis Hamilton Gets Candid on Unseen Mental Challenges of Relationship With Sebastian Vettel

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton had an intense 2021 Championship battle. So much so that the rivalry even got too ugly at times. On the flip side, Lewis Hamilton feels that his rivalry with Sebastian Vettel gave way to a fruitful friendship.

Lewis Hamilton battled with Sebastian Vettel for the 2017 and 2018 F1 World Championship. However, in retrospect, he believes that the amount of respect shared between the two meant that off-track they were able to become friends.

While speaking to RACER, the 7-time World Champion spoke about his rivalry and friendship with Sebastian Vettel. “I’ve had some great races with Seb in the past.” (translated via Google Translate).

Hamilton detailed why he was so grateful that the two could become friends. “It’s hard to be friends when you’re in a face-to-face battle where one of you wins and one of you doesn’t. The psychological warfare you go through is tough.”

However, he went on to explain why he feels he shares a different bond with the 4-time World Champion. “I’m very grateful that we got out of there and are such good friends. And I think it will continue to grow and we will be even better friends in the future.”

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This is not the first time Hamilton has offered kind words to Sebastian Vettel. They’ve shared the racing track together for over a decade now. And the mutual respect they share for shaping and helping each other’s careers is clearly visible.

Lewis Hamilton feels Sebastian Vettel didn’t let him feel “lonely” during his F1 career

Lewis Hamilton has been outspoken about how he feels about Sebastian Vettel. They’ve been fierce competitors on the track. However, Hamilton has always reiterated how much he values and respects Vettel, whom he can call a friend.

He said, “I’ve not had a lot of time to think about all of the journey we’ve gone through together but when I talk about the journey I’ve experienced in this sport and often feeling that it’s been lonely, I would say he’s one of the few people who have made it feel not lonely.”

He went on to explain, “He’s stood by me through a lot of things.”.

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Do you think Lewis Hamilton can have the same relationship with Verstappen that he currently has with Sebastian Vettel?