"A big incentive" - Lewis Hamilton urged to return to F1 by former champion

Former driver and 1978 world champion Mario Andretti has urged Lewis Hamilton to return to the sport in 2022. The champion believes the possibility of an eighth world title is "a big incentive" for Hamilton's return.

Hamilton has been silent since his controversial final lap loss to Max Verstappen at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December. His lack of public presence has sparked rumors of his retirement. Mario Andretti wants the Briton to continue fighting by turning his disappointment into motivation in 2022. The motorsport legend told RacingNews365.com:

“It’s hard to get into somebody else’s head. But from where I stand I would say, ‘You know what? I’m going to go out there and show them!

He [Lewis Hamilton] has a big incentive to be alone with an eighth world title, so what more incentive do you want?"

Andretti believes Lewis Hamilton would be doing himself a disservice by leaving the sport under negative circumstances. The American believes the saga between Mercedes and Red Bull should continue in 2022, giving fans their dose of action. He said:

“He has so much to look forward to, to go out there and still battle. He’s got all the ingredients to be able to fight. That’s the way I see it. I’m sure that all of his fans would love to see that.

Let this saga continue, with this great rivalry between the two teams and two great drivers.I think he would probably even do a disservice to himself, perhaps, to leave under negative circumstances from his standpoint."

Mario Andretti won the 1978 F1 title and has since cemented his place as one of the all-time greats in motorsports. He is one of only two drivers to have won races in F1, IndyCar, the World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR.

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New FIA president confident of Lewis Hamilton's return

Newly-appointed FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem claimed Lewis Hamilton was a "fundamental part of our sport." The former rally driver also claims he understands why the Briton is upset, but is fairly certain of his ability to come back and fight for an eighth title. He said:

“I am confident, very confident, that there will be, it [Lewis Hamilton] is a fundamental part of our sport.”

The seven-time world champion's return is reportedly contingent of the results of the ongoing FIA inquiry. The final verdict is scheduled for the 18th of March, ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Many fans on Twitter were quick to note that the date of the verdict doesn't allow Hamilton to make a decision about his retirement well in advance, perhaps forcing him to participate in the upcoming season.