Sandbagging among F1 rivals? Lewis Hamilton “closing gap” on Charles Leclerc

Fresh explanation for Lewis Hamilton🥂 helmet the𓂃ory in Australia paddock

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lewis Hamilton has been defended for lagging behind 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Charles Leclerc and cutting a frustrated figure in practice for the F1 Australian Grand Prix.

Leclerc topped the timesheet in Aust📖ralia on Friday, while Hamilton was fifth behind both McLarens and Yuki Tsunoda.

Martin Brundle also noted that Hamilton kept his crash helmet on when he exited his car, wondering if it was a sign of 🎃annoyance at his performance.

“I’m starting to think more about it,” Sky 🌃Sports’ Naomi Schiff said about Hamilton wearing his helmet outside of the car.

“Looking around this paddock, there are a lot of peop🐻le.

“It can be a d🍎river’ꦦs defence mechanism to get through this paddock without stopping for selfies, to just keep their heads down.”

Read more: Long run data analysis establishes McLaren and Ferrari pecking order in Australia

Schiff also noted that Hamil🤪ton’s competitiveness gradually increased throughout Friday, his first F1 practice session since leaving Mercedes for Ferrari.

“Lewis sꦯeems 🎉to be closing the gap to Charles,” she said.

Schiff insisted that Hamilton drove more confidently in FP2: “Definitely. It felt more like the car wa𓃲s on rails. He’s building into it.

“There is a lot tha♕t goes into a weekend despite how much experience h💯e has.

“There is still so much to take into consideration with a different team, and a new engineer🧸.

“You don’t want to put the car in the wall, and that can happ🍃en around here.

“He is adapting to the c💛ar andജ the team, all at once.”

Sandbagging in F1 Australian GP practice?

Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen

The Ferraris, the McLarens and intriguingly the Racing Bulls were the six fastest cars in practi൲ce for the F1 Australian Grand Prix.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was seventh, his teammate Liam Lawson languished in 17th. Mercedes’ George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli were 10th and 16th respec🌸tively.

But Schiff insists tha🅷t Friday’s pecking order could change on Saturd🏅ay.

“I don’t know ho🌳w much we can read into the perfo🅠rmances just yet,” she insisted.

“Ultimately, quali🌌fying is where we’ll find out where everyone truly stands꧟.

“[McLaren’s] long run pace was quicker. It’s not just about how easy it is to drive over a race distance.🅷 They also need to put a lap together in qualifying, and their car hasn’t p🙈roven that it’s the easiest.

“Ferrari are definitely a candidaಌte. You can’t count many out yet.

It’s still early doors, 🦂the⛎ track will keep evolving, they are still dialling their cars in.

“They might all b�🤪�e keeping a little bit up their sleeves…

“Th⛦ere are so many teams in the top 10 a𒐪nd it’s so tight.”

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