Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time world champion

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton recently suggested that he works harder than all of the other drivers on the 2026 F1 grid.

Hamilton is 41 years of age, and is still managing to compete at the highest level, currently sat up in fourth in the drivers’ championship after a strong start to the season which has already seen him claim a grand prix podium.

The Brit has admitted to be enjoying the new regulations that have swept into the sport, describing it as the ‘best racing’ that he has experienced in F1.

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Hamilton is in his 20th season as an F1 driver, and is already the most successful driver in F1 history, but is determined to try and win an eighth drivers’ championship.

And, speaking after the Japanese Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed his motivation to continue to improve and perform at a high level.

“I’ve not lost what I’ve had, and regardless if some of you or people who write that, I’ll continue to show up and I’m training harder than ever,” Hamilton told media at the Japanese Grand Prix.

“I was in Tokyo between this race and the last race, I ran, like, 100km. I know that none of the drivers I’m racing against have trained as hard as I have and given it what I have, especially at my age as well.

“I love that, that I still have that drive to push myself. I was at the hotel and several drivers walked in and I finished my runs and I know they’re just getting up. The commitment is there more than ever and I dedicate absolutely everything I have now to this challenge and to the target that I have.”

READ MORE: How Toto Wolff ‘fired’ Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes

How much longer will Hamilton race?
Despite his brutal training regime – which is clearly working following a solid start to the season – there’s no doubt that Hamilton isn’t getting any younger and may well be thinking about retiring from the sport in the next few years.

He’s four years younger than Fernando Alonso but, unlike Alonso, his future at his current team might not be in his own hands.

Hamilton has lost out to a team-mate in the drivers’ championship in three of the last four seasons, and his defeat by Charles Leclerc last season was the heaviest team-mate defeat that he’s ever experienced (86 points).

If Ferrari feel like they can get a similar level of performance from a younger driver who would be paid a fraction of the reported $60million that Hamilton earns as a base salary, then they may seek to do that.

Oliver Bearman has been rumoured to be in line to replace Hamilton when the time comes, the former Ferrari academy driver who is now performing well for Haas.

Of course, being replaced by Ferrari wouldn’t necessarily spell the end of Hamilton’s career, and he would likely be determined to prove himself all over again with a new team.

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