Lewis Hamilton looked forward to more success with Mercedes after collecting his fifth Formula One world champion’s trophy at the governing FIA’s gala awards on Friday.
Britain’s most successful racing driver, and only the third man to win at least five titles, also won a media vote for personality of the year — denying Red Bull rival Max Verstappen a fourth in a row.
“It does feel incredible,” the 33-year-old told the audience gathered in the Grand Hall of the St Petersburg Philarmonia, after FIA president Jean Todt had handed him his trophy.
Asked whether matching Michael Schumacher’s record seven championships was his ultimate goal, Hamilton said he had never set that as a target.
He made clear, however, that he would be around long enough to give it a try.
“I’ve just signed for another two years...so I’m excited about the next couple of years,” said the champion, who won 11 races out of 21 this year. “But right now I’m happy that the racing’s over.
“Next year’s going to be so tough, the seasons are getting longer and longer. I don’t know how long I’m going to go, currently two years sounds good for me.
“But I still love racing so maybe I’ll be going a lot longer. Who knows?”
Hamilton, who said also that his parents had wanted to be present but had a problem with the Russian visa process, had earlier been a no-show at an official news conference.
Mercedes said he had not felt “100 per cent”.
Ferrari’s runner-up Sebastian Vettel and third-placed Finnish team mate Kimi Raikkonen were also on stage, the latter earlier seen brandishing a cigar and looking like he was enjoying the party.
“Kimi has enjoyed tonight a lot,” observed the show presenter.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was presented with the constructors’ trophy by moustachioed Formula One chief executive Chase Carey — the team’s fifth in a row.
Wolff and his team’s non-executive chairman Niki Lauda were also recipients of the FIA president’s special award, with the triple world champion absent as he recovers from a lung transplant.
“He sends his regards, he is recovering very well,” said Wolff. “Next time he’s going to be here.”
Charles Leclerc, Vettel’s team mate at Ferrari next year, was the rookie of the year for the second successive season after winning the Formula Two title in 2017.
The Action of the Year, voted by fans worldwide, went to Finnish rally driver Teemu Suninen for a massive slide on his home event.
Top swimmers challenge FINA with lawsuit
Three world-class swimmers have filed a lawsuit in the United States, challenging what they allege is the monopoly world governing body FINA has over the control of international competitions.
The lawsuit, brought on behalf of three-times Olympic gold medallist Katinka Hosszu of Hungary and U.S. world champions Tom Shields and Michael Andrew, followed the cancellation of a new professional swimming event scheduled for Dec. 20-21 in Turin.
"FINA's insistence that the world's best swimmers may compete only on FINA's terms and its efforts to enforce that rule are nakedly anti-competitive," said the lawsuit which the trio said was filed "on behalf of elite swimmers around the world".
The Italian federation said FINA had threatened sanctions against those swimmers taking part in the event, which was put together by organisers of the International Swimming League (ISL).
The world governing body, in a statement, said it had taken note of the filings in California.
"As world and Olympic champions, the swimmers in question will understand that FINA's attention is focused on the 950 swimmers, including two of the athletes in question, from 180 member federations taking part in the 14th World Swimming Championships in Hangzhou," FINA said.
"FINA will nonetheless give the filings our full attention and mount a robust defense if required to do so. Meanwhile in Hangzhou, the FINA Athletes Committee will consult with aquatics athletes to continue its work of making sure athlete voices are clearly heard within FINA's decision-making bodies.
"FINA remains open to proposals that would enhance - rather than conflict with - current and planned competition calendars, providing further opportunities for aquatics athletes, and ideally in a manner that benefits the whole sport."
The governing body had said in November the Turin meeting did not meet their rules requirements.
"The project of the Italian Swimming Federation to organise a swimming competition in Turin at short notice did not meet all the necessary FINA rulebook requirements."
The ISL is proposing to organise meetings outside the control of FINA and pay higher prize money.
American Cain suffers nasty fall in Croatia
American pairs figure skater Ashley Cain suffered a scary fall at the Golden Spin of Zagreb in Croatia on Friday after her partner Timothy LeDuc appeared to lose his grip on her at the end of an overhead lift during their long program.
The back of Cain's head hit the ice before LeDuc fell on top of her. The 23-year-old initially appeared unconscious when LeDuc lifted her head off the ice but she got up and they completed their program.
Cain said on Twitter that she had been released from hospital and would continue her recovery back home.
"Thank you for all of your love and for supporting us! The medical team and staff were wonderful," she said.
Cain, who has been skating with LeDuc since May 2016, is the 2018 Four Continents silver medallist and 2017 U.S. national bronze medallist.
