Lewis Hamilton has said he is going to "unplug" and will be uncontactable after a tough maiden Formula 1 season with Ferrari, claiming he "can't wait to get away from all this."
The seven-time world champion had high hopes for his first campaign in red but it ended in bitter disappointment; Hamilton finishing sixth in the championship, failing to claim a single podium and being knocked out of Q1 in each of 2025's final three qualifying sessions.
When asked whether he was looking forward to next season following the Abu Dhabi GP finale, where he fought back to eighth, Hamilton said there was only one thing he was excited for.
"At the moment I'm only looking forward to the break," Hamilton said.
"Just to disconnecting, not speaking to anyone. No one will be able to get in touch with me this winter. I won't have my phone with me and I'm looking forward to that. Completely unplug from the matrix."
Asked if he had gone mobile-free before, Hamilton said: "No, I've generally always had it around. But this time, it's going in the freaking bin."
It isn't the first time Hamilton has cut a despondent figure in recent media interviews, and speculation about his future has bubbled up -- although the 40-year-old has a contract for next year, when a rules revolution could propel Ferrari back into contention.
"I can't wait to get away from all this," Hamilton added. "Every week, photo shoots and all that kind of stuff.
"That's the thing I look forward to one day, not having to do it all."
Hamilton was then asked what does keep him going. He responded with various motivations.
"The love of what you do, the love of racing," he said. "The support of people around me, my fans, and keeping alive a dream. And I still have a dream."
