"I want to crush everyone. I want to outsmart everyone": When Lewis Hamilton pulled back the curtain on what he wanted to achieve in F1

Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, once opened up on his desire to dominate everyone on the track to reach the pinnacle of F1. He was already a three-time champion when he dreamt of being a legendary figure.

Hamilton made his debut with McLaren in 2007 and won his maiden title a year later in 2008. From a championship-winning team, the Brit made a controversial move to Mercedes in 2013. What was deemed a possible mistake turned out to be a historic association as they ended up winning six titles.

During his prime days, Hamilton was ruthless with his approach. His instincts were aggressive, and he never shied away from close battles. Recalling his ultimate life goal in an interview with CBS News in 2015, the British driver said:

"I want to crush everyone. I want to outsmart everyone."

Further shedding light on the danger associated with the sport, Lewis Hamilton added:

"Formula One was a very dangerous sport. It still is dangerous. But the danger factor is also the exciting part."

In 2015, he had 43 race wins to his name and three world championship titles. In the next five years, he won as many consecutive titles to equal Michael Schumacher's record of seven titles. Moreover, Hamilton became the first driver in the history of F1 to surpass the 100-race wins mark.

In his historic stint with Mercedes, Hamilton had several instances of rivalry, including the one with his own teammate Nico Rosberg. However, the Brit weathered every competition that came his way to indeed reach the pinnacle of the sport.

Moreover, at 40, the Brit is not yet done. In a historic driver transfer that took the F1 fraternity by storm, Hamilton announced that he will race for Scuderia Ferrari in the 2025 season and beyond since he signed a multi-year contract.

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Mercedes senior reveals Lewis Hamilton has a 'phobia' of losing

Lewis Hamilton(R) with Mercedes engineer Andrew Shovlin(L) (Image Source: Getty)

As Lewis Hamilton gears up for his debut season with Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes senior engineer Andrew Shovlin revealed key details about the British driver's fierce traits. Speaking to The New York Times, Shovlin said:

“Well, there are no other drivers like him, so you could definitely say he is unique from that point of view. He’s [Hamilton] good fun to work with. He’s committed to success, as we all are, and in a team, that’s what you would ask of everybody. But Lewis has got his own; it’s almost like a phobia of losing that drives his work ethic." (via PlanetF1).

Hamilton made winning his habit as he amassed 105 race victories in his glorious career. The seven championships also got him accustomed to success. While the past few years were challenging, the 40-year-old is set for a fresh chapter with the iconic team, Scuderia Ferrari.