Lewis Hamilton Reacts to Disturbing Max Verstappen Footage

Lewis Hamilton addressed the impact of super-clipping after practice running at the Japanese Grand Prix. He also reacted to disturbing Max Verstappen footage captured during first practice.

Verstappen footage and super-clipping

An onboard clip showed Verstappen reach 320 kph on the run to 130R. Engineers measured nearly a 50 kph drop through the corner and on the run to the final chicane.

Teams say that loss comes from super-clipping. Drivers recharge the battery while on throttle, which reduces straight-line speed.

Energy limit change for the weekend

Organisers lowered the qualifying energy allowance for this weekend to 8MJ. The previous limit had been 9MJ.

The reduction follows concerns about battery management overshadowing driver skill. Officials want a clearer balance between technology and driving.

Hamilton’s on-track assessment

Hamilton finished sixth in both practice sessions. He said the car feels okay but lacks outright pace.

He identified setup and balance as areas to address overnight. He also blamed deployment for a deficit on the straights.

He estimated about four-tenths lost on the straight into Turn 1 versus McLaren. That deficit points to energy deployment and tuning.

Thoughts on the rule change

Hamilton called super-clipping “definitely not great.” He noted drivers often coast in parts of a lap because power is depleted.

He added that coasting with no power is the least enjoyable effect of the new rule. Otherwise, he felt the car worked well through most sections.

Reporting for Filmogaz.com.