In front of an enthusiastic crowd, Hamilton drove Stewart’s No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala, while Stewart climbed into the cockpit of the team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23.
“Being in a stock car, I was a little nervous pulling away,” Hamilton commented. “I thought I was in the wrong gear or
something because it sounded like the rpm was dropping a little bit. I just gave it some power.
“I was really, really surprised. I was thinking this could be rolling quite a lot. I didn’t know how stiff it was going to be. I tell you what, it handles really well.
“It’s absolutely fantastic. The shifting and the engine, the way it’s pulling through the rpm was fantastic.
“It’s not the same [as an F1 car]. They’re completely different. But the driving skills that you learn, the braking into corners, throttle shifting, that’s all very, very similar. That’s why I think it was easier to pick it up quicker than perhaps I would. I think it’s the same for Tony. He went straight out there and picked it up. It was no problem for him.”
