Lewis Hamilton says the current Formula 1 season is “much more fun” than any other time in his career.
The Ferrari driver highlighted his multi-lap battle with team-mate Charles Leclerc at the previous race in China. He described it as “the best battle I’ve had” since his duel with Nico Rosberg in Bahrain in 2014.
Hamilton’s View on the New Regulations
Hamilton’s comments arrive during ongoing discussions about the impact of the new car and engine regulations introduced this season.
The new engines feature a 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power, which leads to constant energy management by teams and drivers.
This has resulted in what is being called “yo-yo racing”, where cars repeatedly pass and re-pass each other due to differing energy levels.
The need to recover electrical energy has also changed qualifying, leading to cars being under-powered in some parts of the lap.
The Paradox of the New Rules
Hamilton acknowledges the paradox within the new rules.
He said that the back-and-forth racing is similar to karting, which he considers “the best form of racing”.
He added that “Formula 1 has not been the best form of racing in a long, long time”.
Hamilton believes this is the only car in 20 years where he can follow closely through high speed without losing grip.
Diverging Opinions on the Racing Experience
Asked why he enjoys the racing while Max Verstappen does not, Hamilton responded that he is simply enjoying racing.
He noted that having a good, competitive car is nice.
Hamilton said the cars are lighter, more nimble and more fun to drive, but he dislikes the power deployment and straight-line mode.
Overall, he believes it is exciting for the sport at a time when it is at its highest point.
FIA’s Response and Rule Changes
The teams, FIA and F1 met last week and agreed to assess the issue of driving on the limit in qualifying. The aim is to find improvements before the next race in Miami in five weeks.
The FIA has issued a change to the rules for this weekend’s race in Japan.