Hamilton responds to quit talk: I'll decide when my 'masterpiece' finished

Lewis Hamilton appeared to respond to speculation around his Formula 1 future with a social media post, insisting he will be the one to decide when his "masterpiece" is finished.

The seven-time world champion has endured a difficult season so far in 2022 as Mercedes struggle to get to grips with porpoising issues, with his most recent outing seeing Hamilton finish 13th in last Sunday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

That result left the Briton seventh in the Drivers' Championship on 28 points, 58 points behind leader Charles Leclerc and 21 behind fourth-placed team-mate George Russell, leading to some speculating about whether he would soon call time on his career.

Yet Hamilton seemed to brush off any suggestions of retirement with a post on his Instagram account on Wednesday evening.

"Working on my masterpiece, I'll be the one to decide when it's finished," Hamilton, who is chasing a record-breaking eighth F1 drivers' title, wrote in the caption of a picture of him in the Mercedes garage.

Among those to comment on Hamilton's future was Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko, who was asked how he thought the 33-year-old would be feeling after a race which saw him lapped by last year's title rival and reigning world champion Max Verstappen.

"I mean, he was lapped by us," Marko told Sky Sports News. "Maybe he is thinking he should have stopped last year!"

Speaking after a tough weekend at Imola, Hamilton acknowledged that his chances of reclaiming the Formula 1 world title this year were as good as over.

However, he vowed he will work through it with Mercedes in an effort to ensure he is once again in a position to be able to compete for the championship.

"I'm out of it, for sure," Hamilton said. "There's no question