Wednesday 17 January 2018 11:51, UK
Lewis Hamilton missed his first 2018 Mercedes sponsor event due to illness, but has returned to posting on social media after wiping his main two accounts over Christmas.
Hamilton is a regular presence at the star-studded annual January held in Geneva by watchmaker IWC, a Mercedes sponsor, but was absent from Tuesday's gathering to celebrate the company's 150th anniversary.
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A Mercedes spokesman said Hamilton had been feeling unwell and had informed them on Monday he would not be travelling.
Mercedes were represented by Valtteri Bottas and team boss Toto Wolff.
Hamilton has kept a low profile on social media so far in 2018 after deleting all posts on his Instagram and Twitter feeds, just days after being criticised for a video posted on Boxing Day which included comments about his nephew wearing a dress.
But the world champion's Instagram account was back in action on Wednesday, with Hamilton sending his best wishes to IWC on their anniversary in a sponsored story and then posting an image of him on a snowy mountain range with a snowboard.
Alongside the image, Hamilton wrote: "2018. A chance to revisit every goal, every challenge, every dream.
"A chance to be driven, hard working, positive, and everything you want to be, all over again. I will never stop, I have no finish line. Join me this year in reaching beyond your wildest dreams."
Hamilton will attempt to win his fifth world title in 2018 and become the joint-second most successful driver in F1 history. Winter testing begins at Barcelona on February 26.
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