Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he has been struggling with depression for many years.

A seven-time Formula 1 champion, Lewis Hamilton, 39, has admitted that he has been battling depression for many years, starting from a young age when he had to deal with the pressure of pursuing a racing career and being bullied at school. “I know the sadness of being isolated,” Hamilton once confided when recalling his childhood, when he attended John Henry Newman Catholic School in Stevenage (UK). Hamilton was often ostracized because he was one of three black students who were outcasts. “I was always the last pick in the school playground group. I was one of only three black children in the school. I know the sadness of feeling isolated or not accepted by the community. And I also know how that leads to bullying,” Hamilton recalled.

Hamilton tried karate to protect himself from bigger kids. “Karate taught me discipline, respect and humility, and gave me the confidence to stand up to bullies and help those who were being bullied. One of the best feelings when I got to high school was feeling like I could stand up for people and intimidate bullies…” the British driver shared.

Having started racing at the age of six, he continued to struggle with depression as an adult and found it difficult to open up about his journey. “I think it was the pressure of racing and struggling at school. Being bullied. I had no one to talk to,” Hamilton said in an interview published on September 28. “I’ve struggled with mental health all my life, depression from a very young age when I was about 13… When I was in my 20s, I went through some really difficult times…”

Hamilton made his Formula 1 debut in 2007 at the age of 21, becoming the first black driver. He won the following year and tied Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world championships in 2020. The Briton said he felt more mature: “What might have upset me in the past doesn’t upset me today. I’m much more grounded.” Hamilton said he had tried meditation to improve his mental health, and although talking to a therapist years ago didn’t help much, he wanted to continue to see one in the future.