Speeds in F1 unlikely to be reduced: Hamilton

The 23-year-old McClaren Mercedes driver who almost won the drivers’ standings last year on debut, said that he was in favour of the recent rule to eliminate traction control in the cars since it left a lot more to the driver.

“Without it (traction control) it is much more up to the driver. It really is incredible,” Hamilton said. With new technology and rules cars in Formula One were also set to look more like those in GP2 where a lot more driver skill would be required, he said.

Hamilton denied that the major teams like Ferrari and Mclaren Mercedes had an advantage over smaller teams due to lesser financial constraints for development of cars.

“Formula One has been this way for many years. All the teams when qualifying are within one second of one another and it is not about who has more money but who spends it better,” he said.

Hamilton, fresh off victories in two consecutive races at Germany and England, was in the city for a promotional event organised by telecom giant Vodafone, and visited a go-karting track in suburban Powai.

The ace driver, who is leading the drivers’ standings presently, also drove seven laps in kart around a truncated track to the joy of hundreds of fans, mostly teenagers, and flagged off a race as well.