Lewis Hamilton is one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time, with seven World Championships to his name. But he’s not just a one-trick pony. In a recent interview, Hamilton talked about his love for basketball and ping pong, and how failure is an important part of success.
When asked about basketball, Hamilton said that he played as a kid and still loves to play when he can. He admitted to being competitive, saying, “it’s almost like a sickness…when I lost I was like damn it…all I could think of is like can I get them to rerun it”. He also mentioned playing ping pong with a makeshift table and net, and said he needs to get better at it as his teammate George has beaten him before.
But it wasn’t all fun and games. Hamilton also shared his thoughts on failure, citing a recent press conference by basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo as inspirational. “Success is made up of a ton of failures”, Hamilton said. “You fail far more than you do succeed…it’s how you get back up…it’s how you show up day in day out and train and continue to try to get to wherever it is you’re trying to get to which is obviously the top.”
Lewis Hamilton on basketball, ping pong, and the importance of failure
Hamilton himself knows a thing or two about perseverance. Despite a slow start to the 2021 season, he remains motivated to keep racing and winning. “I love what I do”, he said. “Racing has been my life two thirds of my life…I’m always gonna be a driver till I die…I’m loving working with my team and I’m continuing…I’m still loving racing and I love being in battle on track.”
Hamilton’s passion for sports and his never-give-up attitude make him not just a great athlete, but a great role model as well. His words serve as a reminder that failure is not something to be ashamed of, but a necessary step on the path to success.
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