Lewis Hamilton ends social media hiatus after 56 days of radio silence

Lewis Hamilton has made his return to public life, it seems, after a lengthy exile from social media.

The seven-time world champion posted a photo of himself on Instagram on February 5. It was the Briton's first post on any social media outlet in 56 days.

The caption simply reads:

“I’ve been gone. Now I’m back!”

Hamilton had not made a public statement apart from his post-race interview following the controversial end to the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver did not attend the post-race press conference either. He had stopped following all the handles on his Instagram list in its aftermath.

Hamilton, along with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, chose to skip the FIA Gala where Max Verstappen was presented with the 2021 drivers' world championship chalice. The Briton is expected to be reprimanded by the FIA for this as it is mandatory for the the top three finishers to appear.

Earlier, Hamilton's younger brother Nicholas had revealed the Mercedes man was taking a break from what he called 'toxic social media'. He said:

“Yeah, Lewis [Hamilton] is fine. He’s just having a bit of a social media break which I don’t blame him for. Social media can be a very toxic place. But, yeah, he’s cool there. He’s fine. Yeah, he’s alright. He’s currently on… he’s watching the kids ski at the moment.”

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Does Lewis Hamilton's social media return equate to F1 return?

While he has chosen to post a photo which sees him sporting a smile, the uncertainty surrounding Lewis Hamilton's future still looms large.

The 'disillusioned' Briton still has not made his feelings about the end of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix known. Rumors and reports, however, indicate Hamilton and Mercedes are keen to see Michael Masi removed from the role of FIA Race Director.

Hamilton's current contract with Mercedes is expected to see him stay with the Silver Arrows right through to the end of 2023. The seven-time world champion's return to the sport, however, could be contingent on the results of the FIA's ongoing internal investigation.

Should he choose to walk away from the sport, Toto Wolff believes it would be 'an indictment' of the sport.