Lewis Hamilton backs down on Covid mask decision with 'lots of people getting sick'

Lewis Hamilton has made a COVID-19 U-turn by deciding to wear a mask again. The Briton, who has won a joint-record seven F1 world titles, was seen wearing a face covering at the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend and has since said 'lots of people are getting sick' .

Hamilton has had a miserable start to the 2022 F1 season as its Mercedes car has been hit with porpoising issues following a winter overhaul. But the 37-year-old has secured three consecutive podiums by winning third place at the Canadian, British and Austrian Grands Prix.

And following his decision to wear a mask at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring, Hamilton insisted it was a "personal choice" and that he wanted to try to keep people safe.

“I noticed that a lot of people around me were getting sick and I absolutely don’t want to get sick again,” he said. “I have already experienced it twice. But I just notice a lot of people around me, a lot of my friends texting me saying they have Covid and some of them are much worse than others.

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“Nobody wears a mask, so I definitely wear my mask. I invite people to do what they want to do. It's your health at the end of the day - but I want to go home healthy. I want to be able to get up, work out and do the things I love to do. I try, if I can, to keep the people I love around me as safe when I can , when I'm with them."

Hamilton was forced to miss the penultimate Grand Prix of the 2020 season at Sakhir after contracting COVID-19. And after the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix last August, the veteran admitted he was still feeling the effects of the disease.

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"I got very dizzy and everything got a bit blurry on the podium," Hamilton said at the post-race press conference after finishing second behind Esteban Ocon on the Hungaroring track. . "I fought all year to stay healthy after what happened at the end of last year. It's a battle.

"I haven't told anyone in particular, but I think it's still going on. I remember the effects of when I had it and training has been different since then. The levels of fatigue I you feel are different and it's a real challenge, like I said, so I just keep trying to train and prepare as best I can."

Hamilton missed out on a record eighth F1 title last year after Max Verstappen won the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi to clinch silverware. And the Briton is likely to fail once again this year as he is currently sixth in the Drivers' Championship standings - 99 points behind last year's champion, who is leading the way.