Six-time For꧙mula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed what he reckons were the key factors behind ♏“the best season of my life”.

Hamilton claimed 11 victories en route tꩲo beating Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas to the 2019 drivers’ crown by 87 points as the German manufactu🐭rer became the first team in history to win six consecutive double world championships.

Speaking at last week’♈s FIA prize giving gala in Paris, Hamilton praised the support he has received from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who has enabled Hamilton the freedom to pursue other interestꦫs outside of motorsport.

“For me this has de💙finitely been the best season of my life,” Hamilton said. 𒀰;

“I've enjoyed collaborating with this incredible team. Fighting hꦕard with Valtteri and a lot of these up and coming drivers this year has been fantastic.

“But honestly as a whole I just think outside with my family and being able to do the things that Toto has allowed me to do - because most pe🀅ople question that I shouldn't be doing some of the things I do.

“But they all encourage me and push me forwar🐲d in what 🐠I do.”

Hamilton believes his season was just as strong asꦡ 2018 but felt he made the difference in races, with eight of his victories coming when he w✅as not on pole position.

“I thinಌk the season on a whole was as strong as the last [2018] from𒅌 what I can remember,” he explained.

“Qualifying wasn’t as strong this year but I was still 🌺qualifying on the front row and top three often and splitting the Ferraris when they all of a sudden had 30bhp more than everyone.

“I think qualifying was still good but it was a harder car to drive t🃏his year. But the races were parti🌄cularly strong and I think those are really where the championship was won.

“I think more from the outside just being happier in the collaborat꧂ion with the team in terms of our teamwork, the doors that had opened in terms of doing the fashion,” he added.

“There’s also been quite a f🌃ew people we’ve lost this year so it’s been quite an emotional rollercoaster frཧom race to Monaco, to Spa, which were quite big, big dents in the motorsport world and I think everyone struggled with it.”

The Briton said he is approaching 2020 as a “blank slate” and feels the “number 1 is there up for grabs” as he🦋 bids to equal Michae𒀰l Schumacher’s all-time record of seven world championships.

“My guys back in the UK are workin🍎g flat out to make sure that we come out with a great car next year,” Hamilton said. “When we started this season our car was actually a real heap to drive.

“It wasn't that great to drive at the beginning♚ through testing, we couldn't quite get it in the window and it wasn't until the last day that we managed to get it to work and we obviously went into the first races and we already had some great results.

“But next year is going to 💯be close, the Red Bulls with Max, they've been doing fantastic. The Ferraris have pi🍌cked up and their pace has been extraordinary, particularly in the second half of the season.

“I'm hoping for everyone thaꦏt is watching that you💜 are going to see the closest season yet.”