More aggressive drivers today? Hamilton disagrees

Despite the numerous controversies over the attitude of drivers in on-track struggles, Lewis Hamilton believes that Formula 1 has not necessarily become more aggressive over the last ten years. On the other hand, he believes that the evolution of circuits has had an impact on the way beginner drivers approach finding the limits.

At almost 40 years old, the seven-time world champion completed his 18th season in the premier discipline in 2024. With 356 starts under his belt, he is the second most capped driver in history, behind another active veteran, Fernando Alonso and his 401 starts. Also, between his debut in F1 at the end of the 2000s and the completion of his adventure at Mercedes in the mid-2020s, Hamilton was able to measure the evolution of the championship.

When asked if he had felt a change in the way of racing, and in particular if the aggressiveness of the drivers had increased, the future Ferrari driver replied: “I don't think so. I've been racing for a long, long time, so I've been doing karting, and I wouldn't say that Formula 1 has become more aggressive. When I came to Formula 1, I was racing against Fernando, who was very tough and difficult to beat on the track, and I would say it was no different than today.”

If he perceives a change, it is rather in relation to the way in which the circuits themselves have evolved. The modification of tracks to include more and more asphalt runoff areas, which logically make track exits much less expensive than grass or gravel, has according to him changed the way young drivers work on finding the right track. limit.

“The only difference [avec l’époque de mes débuts]is that the circuits now have all these clearance zones. When I started we didn't have these big areas, so when you started riding you really had to work your way up to the limit. You couldn't go beyond that, go off the track and come back. And I would say that's the thing that I noticed the most when, for example, at the time when Max [Verstappen] started, or maybe just before, they started having these big runoff areas, which the young drivers were really able to exploit without putting the car in the grass.”

“I think it allowed them to familiarize themselves with the discipline and find the limit where, in Fernando's time and before, you couldn't go beyond it, [sinon] we found ourselves in the gravel. At Pouhon, for example, turn 10 at Spa, there was grass and gravel just after the curb, which was really scary when you went into a corner like that.”

“So I would say that's the biggest change and it would be great to go back to the old school, if possible. Gravel traps or something like that. It might not be safe, but we will see.”