"I could be out there for hours"- Lewis Hamilton on what helps him get rid of 'negative energy'

Lewis Hamilton has said that swimming and surfing are one of the few things that help him ward off negativity.

The Mercedes driver recently sat down with GQ magazine for an interview. He was asked how he steers clear of negativity. He replied that he goes out swimming and surfing.

"I would say I swim a lot more than I surf (laugh). I'm so competitive, so I paddle for pretty much every wave. I could be out there for hours, and I might miss 100 waves but I get five good waves in the day."

Hamilton said that as long as he doesn't have a phone with him, he does not have any distractions. He said:

"What I really love about it is you don't have your phone with you, it's time on your own; you have time to think and just let the waves continue to go and appreciate just how powerful mother nature is. I also feel the ocean is very cleansing, and I just like getting rid of negative energy."

The Mercedes driver also talked about the importance of having a healthy work-life balance. Hamilton said that there have been moments when he has struggled with it but he strives to maintain a balance, elaborating:

"Just like everyone, I have great difficulty finding balance. When I was younger, it was all about staying focused and doing my job, so it took me a long time to carve out time in my schedule to make sure I do other things I love and tap into my creativity. Now, whether it's special projects, exercise or music, I make sure I implement finding things that create balance into my lifestyle and spend time with family and friends."

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Lewis Hamilton's emphasis on health and wellness

Lewis Hamilton talked about how his emphasis on health increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as the drivers could not afford to risk getting sick. He said that he stays away from medicine, only opting for stuff that's natural and homeopathic. He said:

"Not getting sick through the pandemic really highlighted the importance in our job of not missing a race by catching the virus, so we took a huge leap in terms of hygiene. That's stayed with us, so generally I've never been more focused on my health. I make sure I’m not putting anything particularly bad into my body, I stay away from medicines and only use something that's organic or homeopathic."

The Mercedes driver added that he has tried to find solutions to problems by being healthy and have energy.

"I also have found that rather than trying to fix a problem once you've got an illness or something, it’s better to try to preempt it by being as healthy as possible," said Hamilton. "For me, I'm just always looking at how I can gain an advantage. How can I be healthier? How can I have more energy?

Lewis Hamilton is an elite athlete, and it's his diligence and work ethic that has taken him to seven world titles.