"It feels amazing and I hope it separates the men from the boys," says Hamilton after experiencing F1 2017 at the first test
Friday 17 March 2017 12:03, UK
Lewis Hamilton says he is "loving" F1's increased speed in his new Mercedes car and hailed the world champions' faultless start to pre-season testing.
But the three-time world champion has warned that although lap times are set to be substantially reduced this year, the sport's regulation changes could hinder overtaking - although, judging by Mercedes' front-running form in testing at Barcelona, that may not be much of a concern for Hamilton and new team-mate Valtteri Bottas when the season begins.
Once again, the reigning champions appear to be the team to beat in 2017 with their rivals looking on in envy as Hamilton joined Bottas - who set the pace on Wednesday - in completing a full race simulation on Day Three at the Circuit de Catalunya.
"It's been a great test so far," Hamilton said before reporting no ill-effects from completing 95 laps - the full race distance at Barcelona is just 66 - as he defied expectations the 2017 cars will be physically taxing for the drivers.
"It's been no problem at all. My winter training has worked pretty well so I'm super happy about that."
Ominously for the rest of the field given that Bottas set the fastest times of the test so far on Wednesday before handing over the W08, Hamilton also confirmed Mercedes are still yet to explore the potential of their latest challenger.
"Next week [at the second Barcelona test] we will have a much better opportunity to work at dialling in the car," explained Hamilton. "Right now it's about mileage and that's all we've been focused on."
But Hamilton's affection for his new car already seems deeply set.
"I'm loving driving the car. It's such an amazing feeling to walk in and see that car and be only one of only two people who will get to drive it. It's quite incredible."
Formula 1 finds its speed again
Not only was Bottas' table-topping time on Day Three the fastest of the winter so far, it was also the quickest lap recorded at the Circuit de Catalunya for eight years.
Unlike his team-mate, Hamilton has yet to run on the ultrasoft compound - the quickest tyre in Pirelli's range - but was effusive about F1's fast start to 2017.
"It's unreal. I'm like a kid on a rollercoaster ride because it is so much better than it was before. This is definitely the fastest I've ever driven in F1 and we haven't even done [low] fuel runs," he said. "It feels amazing and I hope it separates the men from the boys."
But Hamilton's delight was also delivered with a critical caveat.
"But it's worse to follow other cars and I don't know how that will play out in an actual race when there are lots of cars," he warned. "The turbulence coming off the car [in front] is now twice as powerful."
A new gladiatorial spirit in F1?
After the years of friction between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, Mercedes have a new driver line-up for 2017 after Bottas replaced the German following the world champion's shock retirement. The relationship between Hamilton and Bottas is expected to be far less acrimonious and the Englishman described the pair as working at "full capability".
"He seems to be doing a very solid job," said Hamilton. "He's given great feedback, he's gelled into the team very smoothly and he's doing a great job as far as I am aware."
Hamilton was absent from the circuit on Wednesday morning when Rosberg visited the Mercedes garage before tweeting:
"I'd like to think I look a gladiator already," Hamilton joked in response.
