At 39-years-old, Hamilton is entering the twilight years of his highly-successful career with the British sporting legend the most successful driver in F1 history, with seven titles and 103 race wins.
Since controversially losing the 2021 championship to Max Verstappen, he has suffered the worst few years of his career and has not tasted victory since the penultimate round of that fateful season.
As a result, Hamilton has looked somewhat demotivated of late, especially with Mercedes again failing to provide a competitive car for him, and he recently declared that 2024 has been his ‘worst start to a season ever’.
In 2025 he is moving to Ferrari to complete a childhood dream of racing in red, but having signed a multi-year contract, it is not clear how long he will continue racing for.
But what is clear is what Hamilton will be up to when he does walkaway from the sport, as he revealed to GQ that he is already planning ahead.
He said: ‘I’d spoken to so many amazing athletes, from Boris Becker to Serena Williams, even Michael Jordan. Talking to greats that I’ve met along the way, who are retired – or some that are still in competition – and the fear of what’s next, the lack of preparation for what’s next.
‘A lot of them said, “I stopped too early”, or, “Stayed too long. When it ended, I didn’t have anything planned. My whole world came crashing down because my whole life has been about that sport”.
‘Some of them were like, “I didn’t plan and it was a bit of a mess-up because I was really lost afterwards. There was such a hole. Such a void. And I had no idea how I was going to fill it.
“And I was in such a rush initially to try and fill it that you fill it with the wrong thing. And you make a few mistakes. And then eventually you find your way”.
‘Some people took longer. Some people took shorter. But it just got my mind thinking about, “Okay, when I stop, how do I avoid that?”
‘And so I got serious about finding other things that I was passionate about.’
So what are those passions that Hamilton will pursue? ‘I think it’s gonna be film and fashion.’
He has already dipped his toe into both, most notably when he was forced to turn down a role in Top Gun: Maverick, one of the most successful blockbusters of the past few years.
Hamilton became friends with Tom Cruise in 2014 and jokingly asking for a part in the yet to be announced sequel, and come 2018 he was offered the chance to star as a pilot by director Joseph Kosinski.
He was forced to decline however, as at the time he was battling Sebastian Vettel for the F1 title.
‘Firstly, I hadn’t even had, like, an acting lesson. And I don’t want to be the one that lets this movie down,’ Hamilton added.
‘And then secondly, I just really didn’t have the time to dedicate to it. I remember having to tell Joe and Tom, and it broke my heart.
‘And then I regretted it, naturally, when they show me the movie and it’s, “It could’ve been me!”‘
Hamilton’s role in the film was taken by actor Danny Ramirez, who actually thanked the F1 legend for turning it down.
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