F1: Lewis Hamilton Lost 4 Kg Due To COVID19

Lewis Hamilton has started to reveal the true extent of the impact of COVID19 which led to him missing the second race in Bahrain at the outer circuit of the race track at Sakhir for the Sakhir GP. In an Instagram post, the 7-time world champion revealed he lost over 6 kg in the last two months out of which 4 kg he lost alone due to COVID19. He revealed he lost a lot of muscle. This comes after he revealed in the post-race conference at Abu Dhabi for the season finale that he had never felt "so blown". 

Lewis Hamilton won the record-equalling 7th F1 World Championship in 2020 and is statistically the most successful F1 driver of all time
Photo Credit: AFP

"I've lost 6 kg over the past two months, 4 of which I lost when I got Covid. I've lost so much muscle. Starting from a low point in strength now, not fun but I'm determined to get my strength back and to be 100$ again. No pain no gain" posted Hamilton in an Instagram Story. 

Hamilton qualified third for the Abu Dhabi GP and finished in P3 behind his teammate Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen who won the last race quite convincingly in the Red Bull Honda. Hamilton's bout of COVID19 also meant that he missed an F1 race for the first time in his career. According to Hamilton, it was the first time he had missed a race in his professional career. 

Lewis Hamilton was not his usual super fit self at the race in Abu Dhabi 
Photo Credit: AFP

In 2020, Hamilton equalled Michael Schumacher's record of 7 world championships and surpassed his tally of 91 race wins which makes him statistically the most successful F1 driver of all time. Hamilton still doesn't have a contract with Mercedes for 2021 but expects to close the deal with his long time boss, Toto Wolff, by Christmas. Wolff also recently recommitted himself to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team for another three years as team principal and CEO while also extending his stake to 33 per cent. 

Hamilton is a self-professed fitness freak who had adopted a fully vegan diet. He has even resorted to a vegan diet for his dog Roscoe. If the impact of COVID19 has been so devastating on a 7-time world champion who is amongst the fittest people on the planet, imagine what it can do to a person who is not as fit.