“I was told that I was not going to continue with the team that I was 99% sure I was going to continue with going into that winter. It was a massive shock to my hopes and I obviously didn’t enjoy that moment.
“I still trained and I still prepared for that season, targeting to be ready to win races, to win a championship if the opportunity presented itself, and I went into that year still full of energy, but obviously with this uncomfortable situation and an uncomfortable moment.”
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He continued: “I remember being very emotional on that Australian Grand Prix podium because there was my dad there, there was obviously my manager, my girlfriend, everyone who’s been next to me. I was obviously thinking about my mum.
“They’ve all seen me suffer during the winter. When I say suffer, I don’t mean I was crying behind closed doors, but I was actually hurt. I was hurt because I didn’t expect it. I wasn’t prepared for that kind of news. I was a bit in a shock for a while.
“I remember after Australia thinking how lucky I am to have the people that I have around me, supporting me and giving me that inner strength to overcome what was a tough moment. Now when I look back at it, I’m almost happy, proud that it happened, because it made me a much better driver and a much better athlete in general.”
