Lewis Hamilton stated he “misplaced a little bit bit of religion” within the truthful policing of System One after lacking out on final yr’s title in controversial circumstances on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton was overwhelmed to the 2021 title by Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi after race director Michael Masi bent the FIA’s personal guidelines to make sure a security automotive restart on the ultimate lap that handed a major benefit to Verstappen.

The Mercedes driver didn’t converse to media after the race after which opted to not publish on social media for 2 months whereas he “unplugged and switched off” over the winter.

At Mercedes’ 2022 automotive launch on Friday, Hamilton made his first look in entrance of media for the reason that Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and whereas he stated he had not thought of retiring from F1 on the finish of final yr, he had revaluated his relationship with the game.

“After all, I believe on the finish of a season you assume [about the future] and the query is whether or not you are prepared to commit the time, the trouble it takes to be a world champion,” he stated.

“I believe lots of people underestimate what it takes to be a world champion and there are such a lot of shifting elements. It isn’t simply turning up and driving the automotive.

“So the query is, do you need to sacrifice the time, do you consider you possibly can proceed to punch on the weight you are punching, and in order that’s a traditional psychological course of for me. After all this one was compounded by a major issue, and I believe finally a sport I’ve cherished my entire life, there was a second the place I clearly misplaced a little bit bit of religion throughout the system.

“However I’m typically a really decided particular person and I would prefer to assume to myself… whereas moments like this may outline others’ profession I refuse to let this outline mine. So I centered on being the perfect I may be and coming again stronger.”

On Thursday, the FIA introduced structural modifications to the “refereeing” of the game in response to the occasions in Abu Dhabi. Masi has been faraway from his function as race director and additional help will probably be given to his replacements with the intention to take stress off race management.

Requested if his religion could be restored by the modifications, Hamilton stated: “I would in all probability put religion and belief alongside one another. Belief clearly may be misplaced within the blink of a watch or the flick of a finger, however to earn belief is one thing that is constructed over an extended, lengthy time period.

“This primary announcement yesterday is maybe step one of that, however it does not essentially change the whole lot simply but. Now we have to see precise motion.

“I believe it is going to take a little bit of time. I am probably not centered essentially on that space in the intervening time. I am simply placing completely each ounce of my vitality and time into ensuring that I am the perfect you’ve got ever seen.”

He added: “It is good to see the FIA are making steps, accountability is vital, we’ve got to make use of this second to verify this by no means occurs to anybody else within the sport ever once more.

“We have to, even the whole lot stated by the FIA, I welcome that, however we’ve got to verify we hold a detailed eye and are seeing these modifications and guidelines are utilized pretty and precisely, persistently.”

Hamilton stated he would come again stronger this yr and warned his rivals that he could be on higher kind this season than he was on the finish of 2021 when he received three of the final 4 races.

“I really feel nice, I really feel match,” he added.

“Naturally when you may have an additional yr of expertise that all the time helps. I all the time really feel like by way of these types of experiences you possibly can flip that emotion into power and energy, it is what I am doing, placing into my coaching, into my work with the women and men right here. In the event you thought what you noticed on the finish of final yr was my finest, wait till you see this yr.”