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Hamilton on first day at Zandvoort: I love coming to old school circuits

Hamilton on first day at Zandvoort: "I love coming to old school circuits"

02-09-2021 15:25
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Matt Gretton

Editor-in-Chief

Lewis Hamilton is in the middle of a proper World Championship title battle for the first time in a number of years. The seven-time World Champion is battling with Max Verstappen. For the first time in his F1 career, Verstappen gets a home Grand Prix and the Brit knows how difficult it'll be to beat the 23-year-old on his "home turf" 

Verstappen picked up more points than Hamilton in the rain-soaked Belgian Grand Prix weekend, but the Brit continues to hold the lead in the World Championship. The Mercedes driver is predicting yet another tough weekend in the 2021 season. 

"We're the best prepared we can be. It's a tall order to beat our competitors on Max's home turf with the car they've got. It's very very strong. Everyone is trying to cram into the garage, we have less space here than maybe Monaco! It's an old school circuit, I love coming to the old school circuits. They don't make tracks like this anymore with the banks," Hamilton told Sky Sports.

Zandvoort returns 

The long-awaited return of Zandvoort takes place this weekend. The F1 circus was due to stop off at the venue in 2020 but the race was cancelled as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Hamilton has raced at the venue before. A race which he tries to recall. 

"I don't remember it too much. I won the Masters I can't remember if that was 2004 or 2005. I won in 2004 I think. I don't remember the race. I remember the podium, I think Seb was on the podium, maybe that was 2005. The track was awesome, Formula 3 was cool here that's for sure," Hamilton added. 

Hamilton, along with the rest of the Formula 1 field, will drive on the circuit in a 2021 F1 car for the first time in practice on Friday morning.