Lewis Hamilton explains why he felt 'destroyed' after Max Verstappen season finale win
Lewis Hamilton was left exhausted following Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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Lewis Hamilton admits he felt "destroyed" following his first race back after recovering from coronavirus. Hamilton finished third in the season finale in Abu Dhabi, behind Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in second and race-winner Max Verstappen. The seven-time world champion missed last week's race in Bahrain and was only announced as returning to the grid for this weekend late on Thursday.
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Hamilton says he is grateful to have recovered from Covid-19 but says the race completely took it out of him.
"I'm destroyed. I do not feel good," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1.
"But I'm happy, I'm grateful. I'm alive, and I live to fight another day.
"I still managed to finish off the season with a podium so I'm thankful to the team that I was able to contribute.
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"Considering the past couple of weeks I've had I really am generally happy with the weekend. That was a really hard race for me physically. All year physically I've been fine but today I definitely wasn't.
"I don't think I have ever been so blown. I am just glad it is over. My body is not feeling great but I have to look on the bright side.
"I made it through, and I didn't think at any period last week that I would be here.
"I am really just truly grateful for my health, to be alive, and looking forward to recovering over the period we are off, and then getting my body back to where I know it should be."
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Red Bull's Verstappen landed his second win of the season following triumph at Silverstone in August.
And the 23-year-old was delighted to end the campaign on a high.
Verstappen said: "It was really enjoyable yesterday already and today, of course.
"We had a good start and from there on, of course you look after the tyres, but the car was having a good balance. It was really enjoyable out there today. We did everything alright.
"Once you start up front you can control the race a bit more and it makes your life easier."
Verstappen was followed by his Red Bull team-mate Alex Albon in fourth.
Red Bull now have to decide whether they want to keep Albon or opt for Racing Point's Sergio Perez from next season.
