Lewis Hamilton is not ruling out quitting F1 at the end of the season.
When discussing his eventual ’legacy’ within the sport in conversation with the FIA magazine Auto, triple world champion Hamilton said he might soon join former teammate Nico Rosberg in retirement.
"My destiny is in my own hands," said the Briton.
"I can decide to stop at the end of this year," Hamilton, 32, added.
"Does that mean my legacy is less great than it would be if I stop in five years’ time? Who’s to say?" Hamilton said.
"I don’t like to plan for it because I don’t know what’s around the corner, I don’t know what I’m going to do."
However, quitting F1 prematurely seems unlikely for Hamilton, particularly as he is enjoying his racing in 2018.
And the Briton says that’s not just because the cars are faster.
"Yeah, right now it’s solely (more enjoyable because of) competition," said Hamilton.
"It’s also easier battling another team. When (the competition) is all within a team it’s just like a big vortex, and depending on the tension it gets stronger and stronger and is actually not really what a team is built to be," he explained.
"Now having another team (to fight) we are pulling together with that same drive — it’s just so much more powerful, it’s really awesome."