Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton believes time is slipping away from him to secure his legacy in Formula 1 and admits he left McLaren as he felt wasting his best years.
Hamilton stunned the F1 scene last October when he revealed he was leaving McLaren for Mercedes, a team which had won just one race in the previous three years.
The 28-year-old said at the time that he was seeking a new challenge and he signed a three-year contract worth a reported £60m.
The Brit is widely regarded as one of the most gifted drivers on the track but to date his CV after six full seasons has just one World Championship listed. His first season with Mercedes started brightly but in recent weeks the former McLaren man has looked a despondent figure.
Hamilton admits time isn’t on his side in terms of adding more titles to his record.
He said: “I got to F1 and nearly won in my first year, then I won in my second year. I’ve never had a car to really compete since then. The car makes such a big difference so you’re just wasting away your best years.
“Time is slipping away. There are a lot of drivers that haven’t won a World Championship, so I feel at least grateful that I have one, although one is less prestigious now because so many people have won a championship.
“I’m getting older and I don’t have forever in this sport. So I definitely start to think what I want people to remember me as. I just want to be known as a hard, out-and-out racer.”
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