- The seven-time world champion made a candid confession
- He skipped some testing sessions
- He feigned illness
Lewis Hamilton F1 testing admission has sparked amusement and debate across the Formula One paddock after admitting to feigning illness to skip test days throughout his career.
The seven-time world champion made the candid confession during a Mercedes team gathering video.
The video captures Hamilton speaking to a gathering of Mercedes employees, accompanied by team principal Toto Wolff and reserve driver Mick Schumacher.
Notably absent is teammate George Russell, whose nonattendance Wolff promptly addresses. He explains that Russell was under the weather and couldn’t make it for the team’s annual talk.
“George is really ill. It’s not a sickie that he pulled,” Wolff says as Hamilton looks at him with a grin on his face.
Lewis Hamilton F1 Testing Admission
Hamilton’s dislike for testing is no secret. He has long expressed his preference for the thrill of wheel-to-wheel racing over the repetitive laps of development sessions.
Lewis Hamilton F1 season. Photo/GPFans
It is following the news of Russell’s illness that he confesses to missing testing sessions over alleged sickness.
“In the past I have done that to miss test days because I just generally don’t like test days, so yesterday when I heard that he was sick I was like: ‘Oh, he’s one-upped me. He’s gone to another level,” he says amid laughter.
George Russell Sickness
Russell visibly struggled with illness in the concluding weeks of the 2023 season, which concluded with a challenging doubleheader in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi.
He expressed discomfort, noting he was “coughing loads” and had endured a mere four hours of sleep per night over a two-week span.
Speaking to media, after the final race in Abu Dhabi, Russell said he has had a persistent cough affecting him both outside and inside the car.
Despite the challenging circumstances, he expressed relief at crossing the finish line, adding that it was difficult for him to race while unwell.
Lewis Hamilton F1 Testing Debate
While some see Hamilton’s confession as a lighthearted anecdote, others question the ethics of manipulating illness to avoid work commitments.
However, the circumstances surrounding F1 testing add a layer of complexity. Modern-day testing regulations, aimed at cost control and maintaining competitive balance, often leave drivers confined to endless data-gathering runs with little opportunity for actual racing.
Hamilton fans seem to understand his frustration with the monotony of testing, arguing that it offers diminishing returns for seasoned drivers like himself.
They acknowledge the potential for abuse over his absence but view his actions as harmless, albeit unconventional.
His critics of Hamilton argue that regardless of personal preferences, he has a professional responsibility to attend all F1 testing sessions.
They highlight the importance of driver input in car development and question the fairness of skipping out while teammates and rivals diligently contribute.
Hamilton stands as Formula 1’s most successful driver, matching Michael Schumacher’s seven World Championships in 2020.
Lewis Hamilton Las Vegas Grand Prix. Photo/GB News
He subsequently surpassed the record with over 100 Grand Prix victories and pole positions in 2021.
Although he securing a record-extending 104th pole at the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, the 38-year-old has been winless since his controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race in 2021.
Despite his rival Max Verstappen winning 44 of the last 66 races, Hamilton has experienced two consecutive winless seasons, marking a departure from his consistent victory streak since debuting with McLaren in 2007.
Lewis Hamilton Lessons From 2023 Season
The 2023 F1 season wasn’t a victory lap for Hamilton but a gruelling trek through the desert. He looks at it as a stark contrast to the glory of previous years, and one of the toughest season in his Formula One career.
Some of the lessons he picked from this season is that difficult moments have a way of sowing self-doubt in one’s mind.
He doubted his F1 racing skills after a streak of losses throughout the year. But it also taught him the value of effective communication and teamwork.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login