Hamilton feels a 'big void' without racing

Reigning Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton on Monday said he missed every day, with the racing season yet to start due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The 35-year-old, who has adopted a vegan lifestyle, also said people should reflect on choices and decisions.

"I miss racing every day. This is the first time since I was 8 that I haven’t started a season. When you live and breathe something you love, when it’s gone there’s definitely a big void," Hamilton wrote on his Instagram page.

The six-time F1 World champion said the world should reflect on the positives in these challenging times and come out of the situation better people.

"But there’s always positives to take from these times. Right now, we all have time in the world to reflect on life, our decisions, our goals, the people we have around us, our careers. Today, we see clearer skies all over the world, less animals being slaughtered for our pleasure simply because our demands are much lower and everyone staying in.

"Let’s not come back the same as we went into this tough time, let’s come out of it with better knowledge of our world, changing our personal choices and habits. Let’s come out of this as a new us, a new reinvigorated you, fitter, healthier and more focused but above all, kinder, more generous and gracious and caring for our world and the people in it. I hope we all do. #wecandothis #together #oneworld #wewinandwelosetogether,” Hamilton wrote.

The F1 season, which is yet to take off, hopes to start its delayed 2020 season in Austria in July without spectators before ending in Abu Dhabi in December after races in Asia and the Americas, chairman and CEO Chase Carey said on Monday.

The opening race at the Red Bull Ring, belonging to the Austrian energy drink company that owns two of the 10 teams on the starting grid, would be held as planned over the July 3-5 weekend.

The French Grand Prix at Le Castellet in June was, on Monday, cancelled, becoming the 10th race in what was to have been a record 22-round season starting in March to be hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.