Lewis Hamilton seemed to leave the Australian Grand Prix with a smile that caught many people in the paddock by surprise. While several drivers complained about Formula One's new generation of cars, the seven time world champion said he actually enjoyed the challenge.
Hamilton's upbeat mood came after finishing fourth at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne during hisearly races with Ferrari. The result placed him behind the leading Mercedes cars, yet the 41 year old British driver sounded far more optimistic than several of his rivals.
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris both raised concerns about the feel of the new machines during the opening race weekend. Hamilton took a different view. He said the new era felt exciting and even admitted he wished the race had lasted longer.
Hamilton's reaction stood out in Melbourne because much of the talk across the paddock centred on criticism of the new Formula One rules.
According toRacingNews365, Hamilton was among the few drivers who openly praised the direction the sport is taking. He described the new era as positive and said he enjoyed driving the latest generation of cars.
'I personally loved it,' Hamilton told the media. 'I thought the race was really fun to drive. I thought the car was really, really fun to drive.'
For a driver who has spent years at the top of the championship, the attitude suggested something deeper. Hamilton appeared to welcome the unpredictability of a new technical era rather than shy away from it.
His comments were not shared by many of his fellow drivers. Several of them, including George Russell and Carlos Sainz who serve as directors of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, have raised safety concerns about the new regulations.
When asked again about thenew era of Formula One, Hamilton repeated his enthusiasm.
'I thought it was awesome,' the 105-time grand prix victor said. 'I thought it was great.'
Source: International Business Times UK
