New generation of drivers get away with more - Hamilton
- Published on 09 Sep 2019 09:00
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- By: Coilin Higgins
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton has said he believes that the new generation of drivers get away with more from the race stewards after Charles Leclerc escaped penalties for pushing Hamilton wide and for going wide himself during Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.
Pole sitter Leclerc and Hamilton dueled for the race victory for the majority of the race when he was squeezed wide by Leclerc at the second chicane as the pair went wheel to wheel, forcing Hamilton to opt for the escape road.
Despite receiving a black and white flag for his driving and going wide after a mistake at the first chicane later on in the race, Leclerc managed to escape a penalty on both occasions and eventually went on to win the race, taking Ferrari's first home win at Monza in almost ten years, as well as his second win of the season.
"It seems like the new generation get away with a lot more in that space of how they manoeuvre their car compared to, I would say, the more experienced drivers," Hamilton told Sky F1 after the race.
"They used different consequences for the rule today but I don't really know why that was the case. I guess the stewards woke up on a different side of the bed this morning."
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff with Hamilton's comments after the race, believing the calls made by the race stewards during Sunday's race could have went either way and also questioned about how lenient the race stewards are willing to go concerning hard race on track.
"I have so many problems in my life to sort out that I don't want to have Michael Masi and the FIA's problems, because this is another problem they have!," Wolff commented. "We want to see hard racing but how far does the leniency go? You could have given a penalty for both incidents - the one pushing Lewis off and the other one being a bit feisty."
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Replies (8)
Login to replyJuJuHound
Posts: 352
Lewis told something which is happening in F1 since ages.
Senna was pushing hard so Rosberg has to talk with him (Brands Hatch 86?)
Schumacher was driving hard so Senna had to speak with him (France 1992)
After some time experience helps you to fight more clean but with better shape. Nothing new.
essaouira311
Posts: 158
Leclerc is the last to blame. He tried to drive safely until Austria, when he suffered from Verstappen and clearly stated that he was going to change the way he would drive from then on. Transparent and consistent. I think it's the stewards / the official F1 / FIA who have not made up their mind as to the kind of competition they want.
Ram Samartha
Posts: 1,172
True that! That's the point innit? The bar has been set, or lowered as the case may be but it's going to make for some good racing. Let's just hope nobody gets seriously hurt because they don't know when to back off. It's a bit of a dance of give and take. They seem to be getting a clearer idea. Ride the limit boys but be respectful of what happens when you step over it.
f1ski
Posts: 726
lewis forgets his reputation that if u didn't get by the contact would put u out. he mused massa off the racing line in monaco.
Ram Samartha
Posts: 1,172
True, but he learned and became a better driver for it. He had his elbows out a bit too wide in his early days. But these days he's one of the cleanest racers out there. When it came down to the wire though when Rosberg showed him he wasn't going to budge either Ham backed off a bit and Nico get the edge. He was more on top of his game that year. Tough to do every year against some of the top talent on the grid.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
'S a bit rich coming from you, innit Hammy? :*
abhidbgt
Posts: 283
Everyone in Mercedes thinks in this race Leclerc's driving was a bit over the edge. Let them think.
cricho
Posts: 80
I don't think younger guns are favored. Everything just evolves, drivers, driving styles, tracks, tarmac surfaces, even F1 racing rules. The New Wave.