Lewis Hamilton’s first Formula 1 test took place at Silverstone on December 1, 2004, when McLaren gave the young driver and fellow prospects Alex Lloyd and Jamie Green short runs in its MP4-19. As Hamilton approaches his 400th Grand Prix start, Lloyd has looked back on the day and the early stages of their friendship in an account published by F1.com.
Hamilton and Lloyd had known each other since their karting years and were close friends as well as rivals. They had both dreamed of driving an F1 car, Lloyd recalled, making it special to experience the opportunity together. Hamilton had beaten Lloyd to the 2003 Formula Renault UK title, then finished fifth in his rookie season in the Formula 3 Euro Series.
The test took place in cold December weather, but the track remained dry. Each driver had two short runs, lasting about 10 minutes apiece, in the McLaren MP4-19. Lloyd said the limited time left little room to learn the car, while the dry conditions allowed them to experience its grip.
For Lloyd, the car’s speed and power were startling. He said it took several laps for him to adjust to the acceleration and the pace of the F1 car, which felt far beyond anything he had driven before. The steering was also much lighter and more precise than the machinery he knew, while the carbon brakes demanded a level of pressure he had not encountered. Lloyd recalled nearly running wide at the first corner before understanding how much force the brakes needed.
McLaren told the drivers not to focus on lap times and encouraged them to enjoy the experience. There was no official timing, although families watched with stopwatches. Lloyd remembered his and Hamilton’s times being close, with Green about a second quicker, but stressed that the brief runs were not a meaningful measure of their potential.
Lloyd said Hamilton built his speed gradually, while he and Green pushed harder from the outset. In his view, Hamilton appeared more comfortable taking his time, perhaps because he expected further opportunities. The test was only a short first taste of F1, but Hamilton went on to win the Formula 3 Euro Series and GP2 before joining McLaren in 2007 alongside reigning world champion Fernando Alonso.
Green moved into Germany’s DTM series, while Lloyd later raced in several categories before continuing his career in the United States, where he won the Indy Pro Series title and reached IndyCar. Lloyd said he watched Hamilton’s progress from afar and was impressed by how quickly he adapted to F1.
The two friends gradually lost touch after Lloyd moved to the US, though they met again at Indianapolis in 2007. Looking back, Lloyd said Hamilton’s talent and eventual success were not a surprise, and praised the way he had conducted himself beyond the racetrack.
Sources: Formula 1.