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Lewis Hamilton: It's refreshing to see rookie drivers on F1 grid

Lewis Hamilton: It's "refreshing" to see rookie drivers on F1 grid

06-05-2019 09:34 Last update: 17-07-2021 13:48
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Formula 1 in 2019 was greeted with plenty of fresh talent. Five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton says it's a "refreshing" thing for him and helps the Brit improve his own driving style.

George Russell, Lando Norris and Alexander Albon all moved up from Formula 2 and are performing well against their teammates. Along with that, Charles Leclerc is performing well at Hamilton's end of the grid after just one full F1 season.

"I’m game for new drivers coming through. They come through with new techniques, new driving styles, new aggression so it definitely is refreshing and it’s great to see," Hamilton said in an interview on Crash.

“Each year I just focus on trying to improve myself as a driver and welcome the new guys that come through. I don’t look at any of them and think that they looked at me and think they wanted to beat me.”

Having gone through the ranks and started out as a young driver himself, Hamilton says he can often relate to their position. After Leclerc's disaster in Bahrain, he offered wise words in the podium cool down room.

He goes on to speak about how he can relate to them, but also how they push him. This extra push allows him to keep improving at the age of 34.

“Obviously I’ve been where they are and I can empathise with the experience they’re going through and the challenges that they all face in their own way in the races throughout the year and the following years. I’ve got my work cut out to try and stay ahead of them, which gets harder and harder every year. If anyone could do it, I guess then it wouldn’t be a special job," Hamilton added.