The Briton spoke out against the decision to reduce Grands Prix to 290 kilometers and assures that current tires last longer, so the spectacle diminishes.
Lewis Hamilton has once again played the sniper against the FIA. The British Ferrari driver, always willing to express his opinion without filters has harshly criticized the governing body's decision to reduce the race distance from 305 to 290 kilometers and said that in his opinion it is a measure that goes in the wrong direction and that does not contribute to improving the spectacle of Formula 1.
"If we think about this weekend, we have the C3, C4 and C5 tires, which can practically cover the entire race distance. We have many races where there is only one stop it's not especially demanding. It is, but they are manufacturing tires that last longer, so, for me, there are many races where I would like there to be more laps so to be honest, what I would ask for is just the opposite: longer races" Hamilton declared in the preview of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Briton went further and questioned the reasons that have led the FIA to make this decision: "The truth is I don't know the reasons they have put forward to shorten the grands prix, I think races should be longer because physically they are easier than ever so shortening them doesn't seem to make much sense to me" he added. The irony of his words is evident: while the FIA seeks to reduce the physical demand and the wear of the cars Hamilton considers that the sport should go in the opposite direction, increasing the duration of the races to test the resistance of the drivers and the management of the teams.
Hamilton's stance contrasts with that of other drivers, such as Fernando Alonso, who has shown his dissatisfaction with the current regulations and has conditioned his continuity in Formula 1 to the changes that are introduced in 2027. The Asturian has been critical of the lack of spectacle and the complexity of the cars but Hamilton goes a step further and asks for longer and more demanding races convinced that the current direction of the sport is not the right one.
On the sporting side, Hamilton arrives in Baku with the hope of leaving behind the retirement suffered at the Spanish Grand Prix due to a brake failure. The Briton trusts in the potential of the SF-26 and in the work done by Ferrari throughout the season: "We are much happier with the current state of our car in terms of the development we have given it this year and I think both Charles Leclerc and I have shown good pace in the last races, we just need a weekend without setbacks; it's about flowing from the start, reinforcing that confidence in ourselves and in the car, and then executing it all" he explained.
The Baku circuit presents unique challenges, especially in the braking zones: "All the braking zones are really demanding here because you have to face a corner and basically, you find a wall in front of you, so confidence when braking is important as well as in the balance of the car" Hamilton noted. The Briton knows that the Azerbaijani weekend is an opportunity to regain ground in the championship and to demonstrate that Ferrari is still in the fight for the top positions.
His objective is clear: a podium that reinforces his morale and that of the team in the final stretch of the season.
