Lewis Hamilton: True Reticence or Trick Ruse?

All else is poor translation." 

Rumi

Following the frantic fallout of the most unbelievable climax to a Formula 1 season in recent history, there have been many, many headlines, and many, many controversies spun and thrown back and forth regarding our central cast who played out the finale of the 2021 season at Yas Marina Circuit – Herr Wolff, Messrs Horner, and Masi, even Max Verstappen too. But the one character developing arguably the most intriguing storyline is the man from whom we have heard nothing, nada, zilch since – Lewis Hamilton.

Where on Earth is Lewis Hamilton?

Ever since his post-race interview with Jenson Button on Sky Sports F1, Lewis has been completely and utterly radio silent. Not a word, not even a syllable from the 7-time world champion. Hamilton is a person who is characterized by his energetic and frequent social media presence – whether it"s announcing his latest collaboration as part of his Tommy Hilfiger x Lewis line, or whether it"s advocating for the various political causes he holds near and dear to his heart, Lewis is known for being a regular presence. And yet he has unfollowed every single person on his Instagram account and has not posted a single, solitary note since Abu Dhabi.

Now, media speculation often amounts to little more than Chinese whispers at best, but rumors have swirled about Lewis and his status. Many outlets and figures have already claimed that Lewis is going to retire, whilst many have claimed, including his brother Nicolas, that Lewis is simply taking a hiatus due to the toxic nature of social media itself (an argument that one finds hard to argue with).

New FIA President Makes Statement

It must also be said that the new FIA President, Mohamed Ben Sulayem, hasn"t exactly helped in this matter either. Despite only taking over following the conclusion to the 2021 season, Ben Sulayem has already hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. Whilst the rules technically do state that the drivers who finish first, second and third must attend the FIA end-of-season awards ceremony, the new president claimed that Hamilton/Mercedes could be punished, deciding to pour petrol onto an already burning inferno.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ben Sulayman has claimed that his messages and advances have so far been turned away by Hamilton, per Talksport.

"I’ve sent him messages," Ben Sulayem said. "I don’t think he’s 100 percent ready to respond right now. 

"We don’t blame him. I understand his position, as a driver, he is at a different level.

"But there are also rules. As you read in the press, the new president is going to sanction; of course, they [the media] spice things up a lot with what is important for others.

"But for me, it’s not particularly related to a certain driver or a certain team. It’s general. There are rules we have to respect, and we have to respect the integrity of the FIA. And I can’t judge anyone until I know the exact facts. My first objective is to go through the whole Abu Dhabi file."

Whatever happens, we can only hope that Lewis will be lining up on the grid next season alongside new teammate and compatriot George Russell, who has earned his promotion from Williams.

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