F1: Hamilton continues to need too much downforce

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Once again Lewis Hamilton was amazed at how fast Max Verstappen passed him during the Australian GP on Sunday.

As age is catching up to Hamilton, he now needs more downforce to feel comfortable with his race car in the corners compared to say, a Max Verstappen, who loves a loose race car.

Downforce means drag.

Drag means slower straight line speed.

Slower Straight line speed means Max Verstappen schools Lewis Hamilton week in and week out.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do clearly to catch the Red Bull because they came flying past and disappeared,” Hamilton admitted to Sky Sports F1 after the race.

“But I think this hopefully gives us a real boost of hope and energy. That it’s so early on in the season yet we’re there are thereabouts kind of so this is a message everyone should just dig deep keep pushing, because it’s not that far away and it’s relatively close to reach.

“Max is in another league,” he added of Red Bull’s performance specifically.

No Lewis, the Red Bull in the hands of Verstappen runs less downforce, hence less drag and hence is faster on the straights.

Hamilton will have a chance to win at Monaco – a high downforce track with very short straights.