Hamilton had dominated that year’s winner-takes-all finale and was on course to win both the race and a record eighth title before former race director Michael Masi’s incorrect application of the ꦆSafety Car rules opened the door for Verstappen. 

Following the contentious final-lap restart, Verstappen - who, with noth🍒ing to lose had pitted for fresh tyres - overtook the Mercedes driver to snatch both the race victory and his mai🎃den world title in the process. 

A visibly shell-shocked Hamilton graciously kept his composure in the immediate aftermath of t𒐪he race before disappearing from the public spotlight and entering a social media blackout over the winter.

And the seven-time world champion has now admitted he thought about quitting F1 altogeth🥃er. 

"For sure, yeah," Hamilton was quoted by Autosport when when asked if retiremen𝔉t had entered his thought🌄s. 

"There was so much going through my mind du🌳ring that period in time. But I think one of the worst things you can do is make decisions based on emotions, because when you are emotional and in the heaꦕt of that moment, more often than not, you're not going to make the best decisions. 

"Emotions were high, it was a really, really difficult period of time, so I had to just wait until things calmed down, and that I was clear in my thought and I was able to then make the r♑ight decisions." 

Ha🎃milton revealed that time away with his family helped inspire him to returꦐn to F1.

"I was around my niece and nephew and was in a beautiful place, in Hawaii, with my family, and at a point where I felt really co🙈ntent and felt I just wanteꦜd to get up again and keep going,” he explained. 

The 38-year-old Briton has remained winless since, with hi🦩s last victory coming at the 2021 Saudi Ara💟bian Grand Prix. 

"I think that's a misconception,” Hamilton said of the significance of his two-year winle🦂ss drought. “When I was younger, I had bad years when I was a kid.

"In 2009, the car was horrendous. We did have a win through the year because we had a sec🍒ond upgrade in the season.  

"Then 2010-11, also not great ye🧸ars. One on my side from a personal [point of view] the other more often than not the car was not ꦦspectacular.  

"So, it's maybe the biggest drought in terms of success, but if you take away those wins, it's been simila𒁃r to those seasons.”