Formula One racing star, Lewis Hamilton has revealed he has given up alcohol hoping it will help him get back to winning ways.
Recent seasons have not been good for the seven-time world champion who narrowly and controversially lost the title in 2021 to Max Verstappen and has now gone two years without winning a race.
Despite the 38-year-old now being in the twilight of his career, he believes that if Mercedes can give him a competitive car he’ll challenge for a record eighth title.
But with Verstappen and Red Bull expected to continue their domination in 2024, Hamilton is looking to gain every little boost that he can to his own performance.
He now claims he gave up alcohol earlier this year, admitting that drinking has affected him in the past.
‘I’ll suffer for several days – sometimes it’ll be like three or four days,’ Hamilton told Vogue.
‘There is pressure within a social setting. You have that one shot and are like, “Damn, why did I do that?” when you get home.
‘I was like, wow, that’s kind of crazy how I’m feeling pressured. And I realised, how can I be feeling pressure at 38? Imagine young 18-year-olds. The fact is – alcohol does not help with that.
‘I don’t know if I’m going to drink again. Since I’ve stopped drinking, I’ve just been feeling so much better, so much more clarity. I sleep better, I wake up in the morning and I can still get up at 5 am.
‘I’ve always been looking for how do you get that extra 1%? As an athlete, that’s what you are always doing.’
Hamilton added that his last alcoholic drink was four months ago, with the driver recently launching his own non-alcoholic tequila brand Almave, in collaboration with Casa Lumbre master distiller Ivan Saldana.
