16/05/2017
NEWS STORY
On a number of occasions during Sunday's Grand Prix, it appeared that Lewis Hamilton was almost breathless.
While, on a humorous note it was at one stage claimed that the breathy responses to radio calls suggested he might have Roscoe in the Mercedes cockpit with him, his dog having attended the Thursday press conference, the Briton's fitness was subsequently questioned.
Indeed, in the ante room, while Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo stood and re-lived the race, Hamilton quickly slumped on to a sofa. Even on the podium, in a rare move, the Briton removed his cap in an obvious bid to cool down.
Asked later about his breathlessness in the car, Hamilton said it was proof how physical these (2017) cars are to drive.
However, in the post-race press conference, the Briton revealed that in a bid to save weight he has been running without a drinks bottle.
"From turn one to the end it was flat chat," he told reporters, "those races are the most... you're just using everything you've got so for sure, in that first stint, for instance, to keep... to stay on Sebastian was a killer.
"Also I don't carry drinks in my car either to save weight," he continued, "so I'm not having a drink through the race.
"Then at the end, I used everything I had left when I jumped into my team and my heart rate hit the ceiling. I was good when I got out of the car but jumping into... I don't know if I will do that again. I was a little bit tired after that one."
Which prompts the question, is driving at speeds of up to 208 mph (using Barcelona as an example) in cockpit temperatures probably around 30+ degrees for 95 minutes safe?
In his pursuit of that fourth title, and his determination to fend off Vettel, is Hamilton, who admits to losing around two kilos in weight during the race, putting himself, and ultimately his rivals, at risk?
Possibly one for the FIA and indeed the GPDA to look into.