Hamilton gets empty feeling thinking about F1 without fans

Driving around Formula One tracks without fans cheering at Silverstone and Monza would literally feel “very empty” for world champion Lewis Hamilton.

first 10 races this season have been postponed or canceled amid coronavirus pandemic, with iconic Monaco Grand Prix scrapped for first time in 66 years.

F1 remains hopeful that season can start in early July with a double header at Austrian Grand Prix, and that 15-18 of 22 scheduled races can yet be completed.

But all of m would be held without any fans until it is safe.

“It’s going to be very empty,” Hamilton said Saturday, evoking subdued atmosphere of pre-season testing in Spain.

“For us it’s going to be like a test day, probably even worse than a test day in a sense,” Mercedes driver said. “On a test day re’s t a huge amount of people in Barcelona, but re are still some.”

However, any racing would provide a welcome boost to people during lockdown.

“I’m getting messs from people around world who are struggling during this period because y’re t getting to watch sports,” Hamilton said in a video posted online by Mercedes. “It just shows just how significant sport is in people’s lives, it brings us all toger and it’s so exciting and captivating. I don’t kw how exciting it is going to be for people watching it on TV, but it’s going to be better than thing.”

Hamilton was praised for publicly questioning wher season-opening Australian GP should go ahead on March 15. It was eventually canceled , but only two days beforehand and with fans still queuing up.

Hamilton had used first official news conference with F1 drivers to say he was shocked that organizers planned to proceed with race, which attracts more than 300,000 people over four days.

McLaren withdrew even before cancellation after a team member tested positive for coronavirus . Mercedes wrote to governing body FIA and F1 requesting cancellation and had started preparations to leave before decision was anunced.

whole experience in Melbourne was a merry-go-round of uncertainty.

“It really, really was a shock to system. Obviously on that Thursday, I had commented my opinion of wher or t we should have been re,” Hamilton said. “n to wake up next day, honestly, with excitement that I’m going to be getting inside car — and n to hear that we’re t going to be going to track. It was very, very surreal.”

Hamilton made his F1 debut in 2007, winning his first title following year with McLaren before adding five more with Mercedes. Those years were a whirlwind of international travel with Hamilton winning 84 of 250 races he has entered.

“This is first time I can remember that I’ve been in one place for six weeks; it’s very, very unusual considering we’re always on road,” Hamilton said. “(It) has taken some getting used to.”

Amid all uncertainty, one thing Hamilton has mand to control is his weight.

Having arrived at pre-season testing in February in arguably best shape of his career, despite being 35 years old, Hamilton has stayed fully fit.

“I think my weight’s probably stayed around same. Having this time gives you more time to focus on things, on areas of weakness — tedious things like calf muscles,” Hamilton said. “re are strengths and weaknesses on all of our bodies. When you go to gym, often you work big muscles but t necessarily small ones.”