Hamilton will be "different athlete" next season

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton thinks he will be "a different athlete" next season as revised driver weight rules will allow him to be a bit heavier.

Formula One next season will introduce a minimum weight for drivers (expected to be 80kg), instead of adding the driver's weight into the total weight limit of the car.

At the moment, there is a slight disadvantage to taller and heavier drivers and this will be reduced with these rule changes, as will the need to be on a very strict diet in order to save weight.

Hamilton made the decision to switch to a plant-based diet last season and he believes that decision was instrumental in winning the world championship title.

"I should be a different athlete next year, I'm excited for that," Hamilton told Autosport.

"I don't see my healthy eating changing, I just generally like to eat well.

"My comfortable weight is a little bit heavier than where I am, and every year all the drivers, particularly I guess the slightly taller ones, they're under more pressure to get thinner and skinnier.

"The rule is changing, which I think is cool. I'm excited to go and eat, increase my intake, I can be a little bit heavier next year, I can be a lot stronger.

"I still want to be quick and sharp and responsive, often if you're big and bulky, it doesn't mean that you're quicker.

"And weight up above is a higher centre of gravity, which I don't want to increase."