Abu Dhabi’s old sore is put away: time for a new success story with new cars | formula 1

By Arjan Schouten

Armed with a mug of coffee, Lewis Hamilton trudges down a spiral staircase just before 9 a.m. Out of the Mercedes pit box, through the own garage, into the pit lane of the empty Circuit de Catalunya. The Brit is still free, this fresh first morning of testing, but his alarm clock rang early nonetheless. When the sun carefully peeks over the empty stands, the seven-time world champion plays as a spy. Hiding in a long beige raincoat and trousers, he mixes with the press photographers, who take pictures of everything he is looking for. wings, side pods, aerodynamic gimmicks, the new big wheels. “It’s so interesting to see what route the competition has taken this winter. Everything about these cars is brand new,” Hamilton later explains when asked about his wondrous trip.