"It should be different" - Lewis Hamilton's take on trialing different weekend formats

Lewis Hamilton has given his nod of approval on F1 trialing new weekend formats. The Mercedes driver reckons that a sport that keeps on evolving should continue to bring changes to see what may work and what may not.

When asked about the new weekend format expected to be trialed in Baku, Hamilton said that it's a good step taken by the sport. Admitting that he isn't well-versed in the new format, the Mercedes driver reckons while the single-lap shootout is not something he agrees, he prefers the spirit of trying something new.

The Briton elaborated:

“I don’t know what the rule is exactly, but I do think we constantly need to be evolving and assessing what we’re doing. And I think the changes with the sprint races has been positive in some places.

"Baku, we couldn’t do a one-lap qualifying because these tyres don’t work after one lap, and especially if we’ve got no blankets, then we’ll be doing more laps. So I don’t know. But I’m open to changes, to continue to make it more inclusive and more engaging for the fans.”

Lewis Hamilton feels it makes sense to try different formats for different tracks. He said:

“I quite like the Friday of a Sprint weekend so far. I’d love to have more qualifying because that’s always super fun. And I just think it should … be different. Perhaps we can just apply slightly small changes to different races, specific for those places where if it’s a race where you can’t overtake like Monaco, what else can we do there to make it more exciting.”

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Lewis Hamilton's take is consistent with kind of machinery he has

Lewis Hamilton's take seems consistent with the kind of machinery he has. He knows that a title battle does not seem likely, so it makes sense to push for more variables during a weekend that gives him the opportunity to fight for and secure better results.

Unlike Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who has the best car on the track and is contending for the title, Hamilton does not have that baggage. He knows that for him to succeed, there needs to be an added level of jeopardy in place. When that's not the case, things become a lot more straightforward and less challenging for Red Bull.