Hamilton stronger after loss against Verstappen: 'Turn emotion into power'

Hamilton busy training

The drivers don't have much free time during the winter break, because behind the scenes the work continues. Most drivers started their training schedule in January to prepare for the new season. The break has done Hamilton good, and he is already warning his competitors that he is ready for battle.

"With these long seasons, the off time isn’t as long as you’d hope for. They seem to get shorter and shorter. Over the years, I’ve learned how to be efficient with my time and recovery. And then with training and building back up. Both body and mind. I feel great and fit," Hamilton said to GPblog and others in an online press event.

Hamilton knew how to turn emotion into strength

The blow in Abu Dhabi was big for the seven-time World Champion, as until the final laps of the race it looked like he would walk away with the World Championship. A long silence followed on social media, but Hamilton said his experience helped turn the pain of losing into motivation.

"When you have an extra year of experience under your belt, that always helps. Through these experiences, you can turn that emotion into power and strengths. That's what I’m doing, I’m putting that into the work and training I have. If you think you saw last year my best, wait till you see this year."

W13 feels different

With the arrival of the new regulations, a lot is going to change for the drivers, as they will have to get used to the new aerodynamic developments. Hamilton has already clearly noticed the difference in the W13 in the simulator. "I have driven the simulator. The car is so much different. It’s so different to any other car I’ve driven in the past in terms of the aero balance and how it shifts, and the mechanical balance and how it shifts. A low rear."

Teams are expected to be busier than ever throughout the season developing their cars and introducing updates. Hamilton speaks of a special experience.

"It’s a different machine to drive. And will require a lot of work and finesse to find how to set it up with new different tools we have. But this is the most exciting part of the year to me when you see all the engineers, the men and women who have been working so hard, you see the smiles on their faces. They’ve been doing this work for months and the pieces are now built. Then you see the car delivered on a launch like today. It’s a special experience to go through with everyone. I have no idea what to expect, I hope the sim is accurate."