Lewis Hamilton could still quit Formula 1, McLaren boss insists

McLaren chief executive Zak Brown says nobody ‘should take for granted’ that Lewis Hamilton will return to the Formula 1 grid for the 2022 season.

Hamilton has not spoken publicly since the aftermath of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in which a controversially-handled late safety car period caused by a spin from William’s Nicholas Latifi cost him the championship.

FIA Race Director Michael Masi allowed only the cars separating first-placed Hamilton from title rival Max Verstappen to un-lap themselves behind the safety car before one final lap of racing, an unprecedented interpretation of the rules that left Hamilton a sitting duck.

The 37-year-old had led the vast majority of the race since passing Verstappen into Turn 1 off the start and had built up a seemingly unassailable lead, but could not defend against Verstappen on the final lap after the Dutchman was able to pit for fresh soft rubber.

Mercedes protested the result in the aftermath but Verstappen was ultimately declared champion, and team boss Toto Wolff told press the following week that could not guarantee the ‘disillusioned’ Hamilton would return to the sport.

Now Brown, who has led Hamilton’s former team since 2018, says it would not be too surprising if the Briton called it quits.

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‘I wouldn’t be shocked if Lewis stopped and I don’t think anyone should take for granted that he is coming back,’ he wrote in an article detailing his thoughts on the state of the sport before the new season gets underway in March. ‘We should not discount or not recognise his