Hamilton opens up on why he hasn't had a girlfriend in years

10:02, 29 Jul

Updated: 12:25, 29 Jul

bySandy van Wijngaarden

Lewis Hamilton has not been in an official relationship for quite some time. In a candid interview, the seven-time world champion opened up about the reasons behind it and shared how he views the future.

Lewis Hamilton is one of the few drivers currently without a partner. The Brit hasn’t been seen with a girlfriend in the F1 paddock for years. Occasionally, photos surface of the seven-time world champion with someone, but he hasn’t been in a serious relationship for quite some time.

In a candid interview with RTBF, the Brit explained why he has been single for years. This turns out to be a conscious choice: ''I look at the other drivers and I wonder how they're doing it. Some are having kids, some married, most of them have girlfriends.''

Lewis Hamilton at Spa

Hamilton puts his F1 career above having a relationship

''I did that when I was in my 20,'' Hamilton continued. ''But I took a decision to really maximize my time that I have here because it's not as long as you think and it's limited.''

''I don't wanna look back and be like 'If I just gave a little bit more here, I didn't sacrifice my time because I was committed elsewhere'.

According to the seven-time world champion, when he retires from Formula 1, there will be room for such matters again: ''I really focused in these last... particularly these last 10 years, get everything I can out of my performance. Then when I retire, I can do whatever I want.''

''I can dedicate my time to whatever else it is and not have to worry. But in this competition time, focus on health, well-being, my mental health, my driving technique, being as good an engineer as I can be, and also being the best teammate I can potentially be.''

Hamilton was in relationships during his F1 career, most notably with Nicole Scherzinger. Their relationship lasted around seven years and ended in 2015. Since then, the Brit has not been publicly linked to anyone.

In contrast, several other drivers are currently in relationships — Max Verstappen with Kelly Piquet, Charles Leclerc with Alexandra Saint Mleux, and (reportedly) Lando Norris with Margarida Corceiro.