Lewis Hamilton has used go-karting to analogise the new controversial Formula 1 regulations, effectively defending the new rulebook.
F1’s new technical regulations have divided opinion amongst virtually every walk of life relating to the sport.
A number of fans are split, with many drivers also publicly calling them out, and in some cases, fiercely, particularly from four-time World Champion, Max Verstappen.
Hamilton has been one of the drivers who has offered a more relaxed opinion on them, and Thursday’s media day ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix was no different.
When asked for his view, given many – including Verstappen and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc – have likened them to the Mario Kart videogame, Hamilton told media, including Motorsport Week, that real-life karting can be seen as a sort-of relation to the current styles of racing the new regulations are offering.
“I think if you go back to karting, it’s the same thing,” he said. “People going back and forth, you can never take away… No one ever has ever referred to go-karting as yo-yo racing.
“It’s the best form of racing. Formula 1 has not been the best form of racing in a long amount of time.
“You finally have a car, out of all the cars that I’ve driven in 20 years, this is the only car that you can actually follow through high speed and not completely lose everything that you have. You can stay behind it.”
Hamilton reveals enjoyment of overtaking not seen since Nico Rosberg battle
Hamilton continued that he is enjoying the overtaking currently, offering an opinion that the new modes are an improvement on the previous DRS, suggesting his overtaking battles recently were the most enjoyable since his intra-team battles with Nico Rosberg at Mercedes.
“We had the DRS before, which I think was a bit of a band-aid for that issue. You can’t get close enough to your corners. Now we have the power difference, but it’s so small,” he said.
“But when you get ahead, the cars behind can keep up with you. I personally find it much more fun because that’s the most overtaking and best battle I’ve had probably since Bahrain years and years ago with Nico.
“That’s how racing should be. It should be back and forth, back and forth. It shouldn’t be like one move is done and that’s it.
“I personally like that sort of racing. We just need all the rest of the teams to close up so we have more of those battles amongst us.”
Hamilton is certainly proving to be a real contrarian in comparison to everyone else with their opinions. But likewise to how people are saying Verstappen would complain less if he was winning, would Hamilton be complaining more if he was not enjoying a change of fortunes?
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