Hamilton, 41, targets racing into his mid-40s to reach new African Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has declared he intends to keep racing into the 2030s, telling reporters his reactions are “faster than some of the youngest people here” as he set his sights on competing at Formula 1’s new African Grand Prix in Rwanda.

F1 recently announced a 10-year deal with Rwanda to host a race at a new circuit near Kigali, with the event expected to join the calendar in the early 2030s. Hamilton, who has long campaigned for a return of F1 to the African continent, was asked whether he was serious about extending his career to be on the grid when it arrives.

“Firstly, you’ve never had anyone like me here in the last 10 years. So I feel that I’m built differently,” the seven-time world champion said. “Of course, there are challenges up ahead that I can’t foresee that come with age. But along this journey, there have been so many preconceived ideas about the fact that your reaction time drops off. Did you see my reaction in the last race? My reaction’s faster than some of the youngest people here.”

The 41-year-old Ferrari driver acknowledged the uncertainty of competing at 44 against drivers in their twenties, but stopped well short of ruling it out. “Whether or not I can compete at 44 with a 20-year-old, who knows? But at 41 I can compete with a 20-year-old. So time will tell whether I’m here in the 30s.”

Hamilton was equally clear about the conditions under which he would walk away. “I never want to overstay my welcome in the sense of still not having the performance. I don’t want to be driving around with my reactions dropped off, my drive dropped off, and my pace dropped off — which everyone assumed last year. But I’ve proved everyone wrong with that and I will continue to try to do so.”

Currently third in the drivers’ standings — just one point behind George Russell in the fight for second — Hamilton said the individual battle is not his primary concern. “I’m not going to say it doesn’t mean anything, but it’s not something I focus on. Winning the championship is the only thing anybody must really care about.”

With five races remaining in the season, Hamilton said his attention is on securing second place in the constructors’ championship for Ferrari, who finished fourth last year, while also using the remaining rounds as preparation for the 2027 car.