Lloyd recalls Hamilton building speed gradually in first McLaren F1 test

Alex Lloyd, who tested alongside Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone on 1 December 2004, remembers Hamilton taking his time during his first McLaren Formula 1 test. Hamilton worked through the gears and cruised for a lap or two before gradually building speed, Lloyd recalled.

Hamilton, Lloyd and Jamie Green each had two short, solo runs in McLaren’s MP4-19. Lloyd thought Hamilton’s measured start may have reflected the comfort of knowing more opportunities would follow; he did not think Hamilton felt compelled to prove himself during that brief test.

Lloyd recalled that he and Green went out more aggressively; he thought Green probably shared his own need to prove himself. After winning the Formula 3 Euro Series and GP2 titles back-to-back, Hamilton reached the F1 grid with McLaren in 2007 as team-mate to reigning two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.