Lewis Hamilton admitted a strange dream during the Austrian Grand Prix, one that Ferrari seemingly has no intention of letting team-mate Charles Leclerc pursue.
During a fan event last weekend in the Styrian hills, Hamilton joked about a rather inconvenient entrance to the Red Bull Ring. The seven-time world champion highlighted a growing want to skydive over the iconic Formula 1 venue.
“I would love to skydive here. I think it’s a beautiful place,” said Hamilton.
“I’d love to skydive into the track one day, that’s what I would like to do.”
However, Leclerc was quick to quiz the Briton on how Ferrari would feel about the wild hobby. Hamilton responded by saying the Scuderia allows him to engage in such risky behaviour, a liberty his Monegasque team-mate does not share.
“Oh, does Ferrari allow you?” Leclerc quizzed.
“They don’t with me!” He said, as laughter erupted from the crowd, and his team-mate beside him.
Leclerc continued, by saying the team must not trust him in such risky situations.
“They don’t trust me maybe with a parachute.”
This exchange marked a more lighthearted moment of the Austrian GP for the Maranello-based team. Following a strong qualifying, which saw a double top-three start, both drivers finished off the podium. Hamilton found himself down in fifth, whilst Leclerc’s struggles saw him drop to the tail end of the points in eighth.
Ferrari braces for Silverstone challenge
Despite an engine upgrade in Speilberg, Ferrari remains cautious of the upcoming round in Silverstone. Hamilton highlighted that the teams current package may pose a major issue during his home race weekend.
The long straights and fast corners that the iconic circuit offers, may expose weaknesses Ferrari have had since the beginning of the season.
“There’s lots of straights at Silverstone,” Hamilton told media including, Motorsport Week.
“Lots of straights and lots of deployment, and not many places to recover the power.
However, Hamilton hopes the deficit could be minimised. Offering the hometown hero with his tenth victory in Silverstone. A sight that would definitely delight his home fans.
“Maybe the deficit won’t be as big as here, I don’t know, but there are a lot more straights, so hard to say.”
“I hope we’re in a better place. I hope that just by the fans there we get an extra bit of performance,” Hamilton explained,
Leclerc echoed his team-mate’s sentiment, claiming Ferrari remain a long way off the pace of the fast-flying Mercedes.
“I think the power unit will be quite important in Silverstone as well, and so I think we might struggle there as well.”
The British Grand Prix is one of F1’s most important races. Whilst Hamilton will be aiming to thrill the home fans in his second appearance there as a Ferrari driver, depending on the Scuderia’s pace, he may have to settle for damage limitation rather than challenging at the front.
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