Hamilton eyes bobsledding, jokes about Grenadian team

Lewis Hamilton revealed a surprising interest in Winter Olympic sports during F1 testing, singling out bobsledding as his top choice and joking about forming a Grenadian team. The seven-time champion also discussed the productive first week of pre-season testing with Ferrari, highlighting the team's progress in understanding their new car.

Why it matters:

While lighthearted, these glimpses into drivers' personalities and interests help build their public persona and connect with fans beyond the racetrack. Hamilton's comments, alongside his reflections on testing, show the blend of focus and character that defines top athletes during the intense pre-season period.

The details:

• Olympic Aspirations: Hamilton stated bobsledding would be his chosen Winter Olympic sport, expressing a long-held desire to try it. He humorously suggested creating a Grenadian bobsleigh team with his best friend and others.
• Other Considerations: The Briton also mentioned an admiration for the biathlon, confident in his shooting skills but less so in cross-country skiing, citing his height as a limitation for the latter.
• Teammate Agreement: Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc independently chose the same sport, bobsleigh, during the same interview segment, stating he would want to be the driver despite needing "bigger guys" to push the sled.
• Testing Takeaways: Hamilton concluded the first week of testing in Bahrain with 149 laps on the final day. He noted the challenge of driving in daytime heat and wind, conditions that differ from the evening race, but emphasized valuable learning about the car and tires.
• Team Progress: He described the week as "good and solid," with strong mileage completed by both himself and Leclerc, focusing on optimizing the car's balance for the upcoming race weekend.

What's next:

The focus now shifts entirely from hypothetical Olympic events to the stark reality of the F1 season opener. Ferrari will analyze the data from this week's test to finalize its package for the Bahrain Grand Prix, where the true competitive order will begin to emerge. Hamilton's integration into the team and the performance of the SF-24 will face their first official examination under the lights next Saturday.