Lewis Hamilton opens up at F1 Australian Grand Prix on why Angela Cullen left - and who may replace her
Ahead of Friday practice in Saudi Arabia earlier this season, Hamilton announced via Instagram that after seven years Cullen wou🐟ld be༒ leaving her role.
Cullen was an integral part of Hamilton’s team, often pictured carrying his helmets or assisting him during F1 race weekends.
The pair maintained a 💝close relationship even sharing matching “loyalty” tattoos.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix - the second raꦛce Hamilton will be without Cullen - the seven-time world champion spoke about her and revealed that they are still in close contact.
“Angela is living her life right now,” he sai⛄d. “She’s got so many ideas of things she wants to do. We message pretty much every day. We are still going to skydive together. We are alwa♌ys going to be in each other’s lives.
“We’re stuck with each other,✃ unfortunately, or fortunately! We’ve been through thick and thin. I am grateful our relationship is as good as it is. We’ve probably had꧂ one of the longest relationships I would say in the sport.
“I am incredibly grateful for her, I love her dearly. I think now I have got one of t♍he guys, Stevo, who has been with me since my first race with McLaren, is helping me out as well.”
Hamilton also stressed ꦬthe importance of having a physio and team around you.
He made reference to Aki Hintsa - a former McLaren doctor who played a big part in his early F1 career - who died in late-2016 fꦚrom cancer.
“Well when I started in F1, my dear friend Aki [Hintsa], passed away from cancer, had a huge influence✅ on me, getting into a team and started up this company that was servicing athletes - prettꦓy much all the drivers use Hintsa,” he added.
“For medical, trainer applications, physios, stuff like that. It’s an incredibly challenging role for anyone in those▨ positions. It’s a lot of travelling, a lot of time away from f🦹amily.
“You grow incredibly close together - during your weekends or where you're tra🍸velling, it's usually you or your trainer or physio.
“It’s incredibly intimate in thꦦat sense - you become g🌳reat friends.”
With a sharp eye for F1’s controvꦕersies and storylines, Connor is the heartbeat of our unbiased reporting.
