Hamilton Wanted to Race Verstappen, Antonelli, Feels Youngsters Don’t Take Risk in Wet
· Yahoo Sports
Lewis Hamilton feels the software issue took away his racing against Max Verstappen and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, which he was excited about in the F1 Bahrain GP, amid a cautious approach.
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It was after far too long that Red Bull’s Verstappen and Ferrari’s Hamilton shared the front-row together, and it happened at the F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia. But it was an anti-climax situation when they were hit by software issues behind the safety car. It ruined a fight after a strategy gamble at re-start.
Hamilton on the wet compound dropped back easily, which denied him a chance to compete against Verstappen and Antonelli, which he was excited about. Ultimately, he felt fine with the FIA’s decision due to the unforeseen situation, even though it prevented good and tricky racing in wet conditions.
Hamilton was Excited to Face Verstappen, Antonelli
(Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202610040319 // Usage for editorial use only //“I mean, I was looking forward to a wet race,” Hamilton said to the media at the F1 Singapore GP. “When it started raining, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, this is going to be fun’. And we did the laps to the grid, there was obviously spray and then, with all the delay and everything like that, ultimately didn’t get to have that battle that I wanted to have with Max, which I was excited about, and Kimi.
“But I don’t really have a feeling towards the FIA. I think ultimately they did the best job they can to keep us all safe. It was an unforeseen issue that came about when I felt like they handled it in the best way,” summed up Hamilton, who feels F1 has become more cautious with rain situation, as he feels the mixed information, especially from the youngsters, means the race director takes it a notch below.
Hamilton Recalls Risk They Used to Take Before
He recalls the time before when they got better rain tyres and took more risk racing in bad conditions. But now they bail out and wait it out to get better conditions – partly due to the youngsters not wanting to take that extra risk which the old-school drivers would take.
(Photo by Joe Portlock/LAT Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202610040284 // Usage for editorial use only //“The wet races, wet weather races aren’t the same as we used to have for sure,” said Hamilton. “I’ve had great races, 2008 in the rain. We ultimately, back then, had more testing, we did have better tyres for the rain because we were able to, I guess they were developed more back in the day. And I love racing in the rain personally, and I do think the guys running the show are far more cautious, but then again, the young drivers coming in are far more, more, more cautious.
Youngsters Bit More Cautious
“Us old school drivers are like, ‘let’s get racing’, and more, more of the youngsters are like, ‘let’s not race’. So they’re getting two different bits of information, and they are super cautious as well, so as where I’m like, ‘let’s get going’ under extreme conditions, because that’s where we really get to test ourselves. And is it more risky? Absolutely.
“That’s why when you look at the end when I was out on the slick tyre, it was the trickiest conditions, it’s wet, and I’m on slicks, but I love that challenge and that’s what racing is, where you have to drive by the seat of your pants and that’s really the way you can make the difference, and ultimately I think it’s where I did make a difference, ” summed up Hamilton.