Lewis Hamilton Expresses Gratitude Following First F1 Qualifying of 2021

The 2021 Formula 1 season is officially underway with the qualifying sessions taking place on Saturday. Lewis Hamilton may not have secured pole position for Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix, but he is expressing gratitude for his race team. The F1 driver posted a heartful message to his team before taking part in the first race of the year.

Hamilton posted two photos on Instagram Saturday in celebration of the new season. The first showed his iconic purple helmet dangling from his hand while the garages sat in the background. The second image featured him sitting in the driver’s seat of his race car. Members of his team bent over and worked on the vehicle ahead of the Bahrain GP.

“I’m so grateful for all the work this team has put into this car,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “It’s down to each and every team member, including all of those back at the factory to see that both of these [W12’s] go out and deliver each race weekend. Honoured to be a part of this team [raised hands emoji] [We Win And Lose Together]”

This teamwork will be critical as Hamilton pursues history. He won his seventh championship in 2020, tying Michael Schumacher’s all-time record. If he wins his eighth in 2021, he will stand alone as the winningest F1 driver in history.

Hamilton reaffirmed his dedication to his goal during a recent sitdown discussion with late-night host James Corden and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. The two men were promoting IWC Watches due to being brand ambassadors, but they spent most of the discussion talking about legacy and whether an F1 helmet would fit Brady.

Of course, the most important part of the interview for fans of the NFL and F1 featured questions about the future. Corden mentioned that Brady has the most Super Bowl victories in NFL history before asking if the Buccaneers quarterback is going for his eighth. Brady did not hesitate before confirming his desire to win another championship. Hamilton said that he was copying Brady and also pursuing his eighth title.

The first step in this journey is securing a win in the Bahrain GP on Sunday. Hamilton will start the race in the second position after posting a qualifying time 0.023 seconds slower than Red Bull’s Verstappen. Hamilton’s teammate, Valtteri Bottas, will start the race in the third position.