Lewis Hamilton once again expressed doubts about the current generation of Formula 1 cars, even after exciting races in recent weeks. The Ferrari driver stated that he still finds the sensation of driving the current models ‘strange,’ especially due to the behavior of the power units on the straights.
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The topic gained traction after the Miami and Canada GPs, which featured intense battles on track. In Montreal, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell fought for the lead for much of the race, while Hamilton and Max Verstappen had a fierce battle for second place.
Despite acknowledging the improvement in race quality, the seven-time world champion said he still does not feel completely comfortable with how the cars deliver performance. According to the Briton, the loss of power in the middle of the straights when the electric energy runs out creates an unnatural feeling at the wheel.
“Definitely this is not something natural, for sure. It still remains a strange feeling. You accelerate, release the energy, and then the power disappears in the middle of the straight and the RPM starts to drop. It doesn’t seem like what motorsport should be,” Hamilton said.
The Ferrari driver compared the current experience with the old V8 and V10 engines, recalling the continuous power delivery up to the braking zones: “The engine should be at the limit until the end of the straight, pulling more and more. That was how it was in the era of the V8s and V10s,” he said.
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Even with the criticisms, Hamilton acknowledged merits in the new philosophy of Formula 1 cars. The Briton highlighted that the current concept allows for closer racing, with drivers able to follow and attack rivals more easily: “The car is fundamentally a better design, so we can race close to each other and follow closely. That’s the best part,” he added.
Besides commenting on the cars, Hamilton also reinforced his view on the use of the simulator at Ferrari. The driver revealed that his two best weekends of the season happened without virtual preparation and emphasized that he built practically his entire winning career adopting a more traditional approach.
“If you look at my two best races, I didn’t use the simulator. Honestly, it’s always been like that. In all previous seasons, probably except 2008, I didn’t use the simulator. It’s not a necessity. It’s a powerful tool, but I’m old school. Maybe I’m better without it,” concluded the seven-time world champion.
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