Canadian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton says F1 should level playing field
A win in Canadian Grand Prix for Lewis Hamilton would tie Schumacher’s record
Montreal: Reigning champion Lewis Hamilton believes returning to an old-school style of racing would solve Formula One’s ongoing problem with parity.
The four-time world champ and current leader in the standings said the vast separation between the top teams and the lower teams is hurting the sport. Mercedes have won all six races this season and will look to make it seven in a row at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday evening (10pm UAE time).
“People do continue to comment that it’s boring,” Hamilton said of the inequality between teams. “Ferrari wins for a period of time, McLaren wins for a period of time, Mercedes, Red Bull. How you stop that?
“If I had a choice, I would go back to V12, naturally aspirated engines, manual gear boxes. I would make it harder for the drivers. Take away all these big runoff areas that you have everywhere. You should not have steering assist. Or if you have steering assist, you have to keep it low. I like having it low so it’s harder for me.”
“You should be so physically exhausted after a race,” he added. “It should be so exhausting, like a marathon. I could probably do two or three races in a row, and Formula One should not be like that.”
A win for Hamilton this weekend would tie Michael Schumacher’s record for most victories at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with seven.
The 34-year-old has already taken four chequered flags this year. Teammate Valterri Bottas won the other two races. Mercedes lead the constructors’ standings with 257 points, nearly twice as many as second-placed Ferrari, who has 139 points.
Only six drivers from three teams have finished in the top five this season: Mercedes’ Hamilton and Bottas, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly. No other team has come close to the podium.