"Who knows?” - Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve on Lewis Hamilton's return to sport

Lewis Hamilton's return to F1 remains a hot topic of speculation for many, even a month after his controversial loss to Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi. Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve was asked if he had any idea about the Briton's future in the sport but he is in the dark on this as well.

Villeneuve was asked about the end of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix during a NASCAR press event at Daytona International Speedway.

While he felt Max Verstappen was deserving of the title, he did sympathize with the seven-time world champion. Here's what he had to say when asked if Lewis Hamilton would return in 2022:

"Who knows? Nobody expected (Nico) Rosberg to not come back and suddenly he just woke up one morning and told everyone he wasn't actually passionate about racing in a way. That doesn't seem to be the case with Lewis (Hamilton). But who knows?"

Villeneuve, who won the 1997 world championship by upsetting the legendary Michael Schumacher, added:

"It's really difficult to know what's going on in the head of people, mostly when the season is very long and you believe... you know where you are going to end up and it doesn't turn out like you'd expect and you feel it has been taken away from you, I guess the reaction can be quite negative but you just have to get going again."

Reports have been swirling around the F1 world that suggest Hamilton's return is contingent on the result of the FIA's investigation into the final laps of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton 'won't need to' be an F1 driver soon, claims Martin Brundle

Lewis Hamilton will not race into F1 in his forties like Michael Schumacher, according to former driver turned presenter Martin Brundle.

Speaking during a post-season interview with express.co.uk, Brundle had this to say about his compatriot Hamilton:

“My gut feeling is he'll stop a year early rather than a year late. He's not going to hang on until the bitter end for a few more dollars, or just to be a Formula 1 driver, and nor will he need to."

Brundle went on to add:

"He's obviously got other ambitions in his life, but I can't imagine why he would stop in the next five years, or certainly three. Why would he?"

Michael Schumacher left F1 for good at the age of 43 in 2012. At 37, Hamilton still has a few years left in him in theory but it remains to be seen if he is indeed keen to return to the sport or not.