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Post by Anna on Sept 2, 2011 20:16:09 GMT
#3 Lewis HamiltonDriver InfoFull Name: Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton Age: 26 Nationality: British Twitter: Lewis HamiltonWebsite: www.lewishamilton.com/Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_HamiltonF1 StatisticsRaces: 85 Debut: 2007 Australian GP Points: 664 Wins: 16 Podiums: 40 Pole Positions: 18 Fastest Laps: 11 Drivers Championships: 1 (2008) Current Championship Pos: 5th (168 Points) Recent Championship Positions2010: 4th (240 Points, 3 Wins) 2009: 5th (49 Points, 2 Wins) 2008: 1st (98 Points, 5 Wins) 2007: 2nd (109 Points, 4 Wins) Team History2007-Present: McLaren Notable Achievements 2003 British Formula Renault champion 2003 British club driver of the year 2005 Formula 3 Euroseries champion 2005 Monaco F3 Support race winner 2005 Formula 3 Masters Winner 2006 GP2 Champion 2006-07 autosport rookie of the year 2007-08 Hawthorn Memorial trophy winner 2007-08 Autosport international racing driver award 2007 British competition driver of the year 2008 Laureus world breakthrough of the year Lorenzo Bandini Trophy winner 2010 Most consecutive podium finishes from debut Youngest driver to lead the world championship Most wins in a debut season (shared with Jacques Villeneuve) Most pole positions in a debut season Most points in a debut season
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Amanda
F1 Fanatic
#WINNING
Posts: 213
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Post by Amanda on Sept 27, 2011 15:56:46 GMT
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Amanda
F1 Fanatic
#WINNING
Posts: 213
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Post by Amanda on Sept 27, 2011 15:58:04 GMT
And also Lewis had some nice words to say about Jenson
Hamilton says team-mate Button has been better during 2011 F1 season By Pablo Elizalde Tuesday, September 27th 2011, 15:42 GMT
Lewis Hamilton believes McLaren team-mate Jenson Button has done a better job than him during this year's world championship.
Hamilton has endured a season full of ups and downs, having won two races but also having been involved in several accidents that have ruled him out of the championship fight.
Button, in his second season with McLaren, has also won two races but is 17 points ahead and remains the only other driver than Sebastian Vettel with a mathematical chance of winning the title.
Hamilton praised Button's job this season as "incredible", and conceded he has done a better job this year.
"I think for me now it's just to find my ground and improve on the results that we've had in the last four races," Hamilton was quoted as saying by Reuters in Bangalore on Tuesday.
"Jenson's done an incredible job...I feel he's done a better job all season, really. So even if I did a better job in the next five races it doesn't mean a lot to me. I mean, it's through a whole year," added the Briton.
The McLaren driver also said he has already moved on from his on- and off-track clashes with Ferrari's Felipe Massa at the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend.
"I was able to just ignore it and move on," he said.
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Post by Anna on Sept 28, 2011 20:20:52 GMT
Antics could cost Hamilton McLaren seat - Herbert
Hamilton is too aggressive
Tuesday 27 September 2011 - 10h47, by GMM Lewis Hamilton’s constant trouble could eventually cost him his seat at McLaren.
That is the warning of former grand prix winner Johnny Herbert, as Hamilton’s critics round on him following the latest run-in in Singapore.
Herbert, now an occasional F1 steward, sided with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, who physically grabbed his 2008 title nemesis after their clash on Sunday.
"The Brazilian had every right to be angry with him after the race", the 47-year-old former Sauber and Jaguar driver wrote in his column for The National.
Herbert referred to recent speculation about Hamilton’s future beyond his current McLaren contract, warning that his options might dry up if he continues to crash.
"I am sure McLaren would want to keep him, but their loyalty might start wavering if he keeps making such costly errors," he said.
Four time world champion Alain Prost told the French sports daily L’Equipe that he thinks Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso are currently better drivers than Hamilton.
"He is too aggressive," said the famous Frenchman. "He should have his manager try to calm him a little, because he is spoiling an incredible talent."
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Post by Anna on Oct 16, 2011 16:21:44 GMT
Wild rumours swirl as Hamilton’s mood dives
Speculation never ceases in F1
Sunday 16 October 2011 - 07h30, by GMM The rumours are swirling after Lewis Hamilton’s troubled 2011 season took another twist in Korea.
The 2008 world champion, recently locked in a dispute with Felipe Massa after a spate of incidents, did not return a radio message on Saturday after his engineer applauded his pole position.
"It is not obligatory to whoop," said McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh.
But there is more to it than that. Hamilton, 26, did not wave after emerging from his cockpit in parc ferme, try to avoid a cameraman with his shoulder, smile once during the press conference, or raise his voice above a monotone.
The interviewer’s first question to the unshaved Briton was: "Is everything ok?"
His quiet answers did nothing to prevent the ensuing rumours.
The Independent’s David Tremayne believes Hamilton had a raging row with his McLaren bosses after Suzuka, where his on-form teammate Jenson Button won.
"There is talk among McLaren insiders of words being said in the aftermath of Suzuka that cannot be taken back", he reported.
Correspondents for the Corriere dello Sport and O Estado de S.Paulo newspapers, meanwhile, claim Hamilton’s mood might be explained by his apparent joining of the controversial celebrity religion Scientology.
A tamer theory is that he is struggling to accept Jenson Button’s ascension to prominence at McLaren, a team he has been contracted to since childhood.
"I don’t think that relationship (with the team) has been affected by Jenson," Hamilton is quoted by the Express newspaper.
Virgin team boss John Booth, who knows Hamilton well after running him in formulas Renault and F3, thinks the explanation is simpler still.
"My guess is this is just a little bit of pressure and he will relieve it with a win and he will be off again," he said.
"It is like a striker having a non-scoring spell. It weighs on them heavily and then suddenly they score and keep on scoring. Lewis is one of the very best drivers out there."
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Post by Anna on Oct 28, 2011 17:40:01 GMT
Hamilton pushes life problems aside and focuses on winning By Jonathan Noble Friday, October 28th 2011, 07:17 GMT
Lewis Hamilton says winning is the only thing that matters to him right now, after admitting that problems in his personal life are make things 'tough' for him.
The McLaren driver recently split with long-time girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, and his downbeat mood at the recent Korean Grand Prix prompted questions about the effect it was having on him.
Hamilton insists, however, that his racing has not been hindered by what was going on behind the scenes - and that his return to a podium spot at Yeongam was not enough to bring a proper smile back to his face.
"I wouldn't say that I was in great spirits," said Hamilton about his feelings on the back of a return to form in Korea. "It has been a tough couple of weeks, but I don't think the last race did anything for me either.
"It was good to get back up on the podium, but it is only one race. It has been a whole year of ups and downs. I think it has been the worst year ever, you can imagine, with lots of people passing away.
"I've had some issues in racing but then in my personal life as well. I don't think it has been a great year, I am looking forward to next year that is for sure."
He added: "More important for me at the moment is getting my life together, and getting my head down and focusing on what I love doing the most.
"I am not particularly bothered if I come second, third, fourth, or fifth - it makes no difference: winning is everything. Other than that, you are second of the losers or third of the losers.
"It is about me picking things up, trying to find consistency, trying to pick up with a fine comb all the small issues there are, try and correct them, put the puzzles back in place and get some clean results."
When asked about the difficulties of having his personal life talked about in the media, Hamilton said: "I've not been reading it, but I've been dealing with it on my own, with great support from my family. I am sure you and everyone else knows what it is like, it is very tough."
And despite the troubled time he is having, Hamilton says he remains as focused as ever on doing the best he can for McLaren.
"I am so blessed in life. I have a great job and a fantastic family, it is just a mixture of things. I want to be winning and that is what I am working towards. I won't give up and will keep pushing."
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Amanda
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Post by Amanda on Oct 29, 2011 22:06:35 GMT
Lewis needs to sort his head out. In 2009 he seemed to have grown up a lot and I was impressed with how he handled having a bad car and struggling. This year its all been about the "lifestyle". It showed in was it Canada? When everytime they went into his garage he was surrounded by R'n'B singers. He's managed by an entertainment manager. He has gone backwards with his mind set. And now he is being beaten by his less naturally talented team mate, I'm not saying Lewis thought he was going to walk over Jenson but I doubt he'd think people would be classing Jenson as the number one in the team.
Him and Nicola splitting up might help him, but if rumors are even a little true he's been throwing strops AT HIS TEAM when he's needed to bring them around him, something Lewis was always good at doing. He thinks he's a rockstar and he's forgetting what made him a champion and the ONLY positive thing about him at times which was his team work and having his mind set in the middle of the team. He's acted so spoilt and so diva like this year and not only has it effected the team but its effected his on track performance and his results.
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Pete
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Petonyo
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Post by Pete on Oct 29, 2011 22:39:15 GMT
I'd agree with that. His break up with Nicola made the news here, that shouldn't be happening. F1 drivers should not at this moment be famous in America. If you know where to look you'll find places where Vettel, Alonso and Webber are well known... Hamilton is actually a celebrity nearly in America which is something and it isn't because of his racing.
Why did he need that? Why has he needed this at all? He's in a high pressure job and he's made his life high pressure. He got his life right and this year it went wrong.
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Amanda
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Posts: 213
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Post by Amanda on Oct 29, 2011 22:55:00 GMT
I'm not sure I want him to get his head right again. Its all gloomy. If he doesn't he'll leave and maybe go to Ferrari and ruin that team for me. If he does then he might get favoured treatment again... I don't know I just want him out of F1 because he annoys me . Lewis will always suffer with his head. But it isn't what people keep saying, it isn't his emotion on track its his attitude off the track. Its sucked this year, yeah we like characters but you can SEE when its "being a character" and when its being a petulant child. I feel a bit sorry for him because it feels like right now everyone is telling him 100 things and he just can't settle himself. Its England and the circle he's gotten himself in with. He is a celebrity now, but an English celebrity. That lifestyle doesn't work in F1. Jenson might have been a playboy but at least that was it and he had the mindset to keep racing on a weekend.
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Post by Anna on Oct 29, 2011 23:09:23 GMT
2009 he impressed me too. Last year he was hit or miss. This year he's had a team mate who can match AND beat him, he's gotten into this lifestyle and that has been it. He's gone down, down and further down. Dumping Nicola might help his mood a little but it isn't going to fix anything like reports keep saying. Whatever has gone wrong in his mind is set down deep and I don't think it has anything to do with Nicola.
Maybe look at his management. Was he managed by his dad in 2009? Or was he on his own? Because whatever he was doing then worked for him and he was happy. This year he's been all over the place and why I dislike the "itz becuz I iz black" comment is because I think something, maybe not THAT but SOMETHING has set in his mind.
I don't like his racing, half the time he's being praised about his overtakes I don't see the big deal I have to admit. Sometimes I think he's great, sometimes I think he's an ass. BUT his racing is very close and there will be mistakes, there will be rule breaking and he will be penalized a lot. But he has to realize THAT is what happens when you race that close, because unlike Jenson who will wait, find a way through and push, Hamilton will push people off track and I don't care how exciting it is LEWIS doesn't always drive fair. At least others I'll get behind if they get punished unfairly but Hamilton doesn't fight fair and will be the FIRST to complain if someone doesn't fight back fairly on him. I guess what I'm saying is he's a hypocrite and I can't get behind him for that.
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Post by Anna on Nov 10, 2011 19:46:47 GMT
So we now know that Lewis's problem isn't lack of talent on the tracks for 2011 but the loss of his happy bubble Hamilton says Whitmarsh claim ’rubbish’ He needs a great bubble around him Thursday 10 November 2011 - 16h55, by GMM Lewis Hamilton has described as "rubbish" boss Martin Whitmarsh’s claim that he has been spooked by the good form of Jenson Button this year. McLaren principal Whitmarsh floated the Button explanation recently when contemplating Hamilton’s uncharacteristically bad 2011 season. But according to the BBC on Thursday, Briton Hamilton dismissed the theory that he has withered beneath Button’s pressure as "rubbish" and suggested Whitmarsh might have been "misquoted". "He (Whitmarsh) made some comments which I disagree with," he said. "It’s rubbish. "My issues have been much, much bigger than that — more personal," added Hamilton, who recently split with his girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger. He admitted however that his teammate Button, 38 points and 3 places ahead in the drivers’ standings, has a "great bubble" of support around him at grands prix, featuring his father, manager, friends and girlfriend. "He’s in a much stronger position than me so I wouldn’t expect anything less than the results he’s been getting," said Hamilton. "I lost that (sort of) bubble. It is a priority for me to create that atmosphere around myself because it’s a happy bubble."
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Post by Anna on Nov 29, 2011 10:20:19 GMT
New McLaren contract ’likely’ admits Hamilton
"It is more than likely I’ll stay"
Tuesday 29 November 2011 - 10h02, by GMM Lewis Hamilton has admitted he may soon be ready to sit down with his boss and sign a new contract beyond 2012.
The 2008 world champion has had a tumultuous season on and off the track, while his teammate Jenson Button finished behind Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ championship and inked a new long-term deal.
But British newspapers insist McLaren is keen to extend Hamilton’s contract as well, even though the 26-year-old said he is in "no rush".
"I don’t think there is any real pressure about my commitment to the team so there is no rush to have to do anything," he said.
"Martin (Whitmarsh) has spoken to me about re-signing already. I know it is there. At some stage, when we have time, we will sit down and discuss it," said Hamilton.
The Mirror said his new contract will be worth about $23 million a year.
"It is more than likely I’ll stay," he is quoted by the Sun.
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Post by Anna on Jan 2, 2012 23:24:53 GMT
2011 end of term report – Lewis Hamilton
227 points, 5th in the drivers’ championship
Tuesday 27 December 2011 - 14h16, by Sandrine Bouchard Lewis Hamilton’s fifth season in the F1 World Championship proved to be very complicated and the Briton himself qualified it as his ‘worst ever’ campaign in the pinnacle of motorsport. He still took three victories and the sole non-Red Bull pole position of the year.
Season review
After a tough winter and a last-minute change to the McLaren’s exhaust system, Lewis Hamilton qualified on the front row of the season’s opener. It was quite surprising given the slow pace of the McLarens in winter testing, but Hamilton confirmed and finished the race in the same position.
He once again qualified on the front row of the grid in Malaysia but had a difficult race. His pace was affected by the different tyre compounds and, even more so, by a collision with Fernando Alonso and the subsequent puncture. He crossed the finish line in 8th place and was given a 20s penalty after the race for weaving too much while defending. Alonso was penalized for the same offence.
The Pirelli tyres spiced up the race in China and the McLaren driver performed strongly. He had a rush of adrenaline before the start as his mechanics had to work frantically on his car until the last minute. He left the pits a few seconds before the pitlane was closed. Having saved a set of fresh tyres in qualifying, he was able to take advantage of it in the closing part of the race. Thanks to a better pace, he took the lead with five laps to go and took his first win of the season.
In Turkey, he couldn’t challenge the Red Bulls and finished 4th. Then, in Spain, he pushed Vettel hard in the second half of the race but couldn’t find a way past the German.
Monaco was a Grand Prix to forget for Hamilton who got himself in trouble. Ninth at the start, he drove raggedly and was involved in several race incidents – most notably with Felipe Massa and Pastor Maldonado. He was given a 20s penalty after the race but felt harshly treated and slammed the other drivers as well as the stewards in the media… he apologized for this outburst a few days later.
At Montreal, Hamilton was once again involved in several race incidents. He collided with Mark Webber at the start and lost several positions. A few laps later, he collided with his McLaren teammate Jenson Button and touched the wall. His rear left suspension was broken and he was forced to retire.
In the following races, the Briton tried to keep a low profile. He was 4th at Valencia and Silverstone. He bounced back in style with a win in Germany. He was in with a chance to win the Hungarian Grand Prix when he span out of the lead and forced Paul di Resta to take some avoiding action as he rejoined the track. He was penalized with a drive through and crossed the line in 4th place.
At Spa-Francorchamps, he collided with Maldonado in qualifying and had a collision with Kobayashi during the race. He crashed and retired. In Italy, he took a good 4th place after a fierce battle with Michael Schumacher. At Singapore, he had another collision with Felipe Massa. He broke his front wing on the Brazilian’s Ferrari and received a drive-through penalty.
Massa and Hamilton were involved in another accident in Japan. He had a pretty good weekend in Korea – taking pole position and finishing 2nd – but didn’t seem to enjoy himself. He didn’t celebrate his pole, despite finally putting an end to Red Bull’s domination in qualifying. He later revealed he was affected by personal problems.
In India, he was given a three grid place penalty for ignoring the yellow flags in practice. He started in fifth place and was soon racing his best enemy Felipe Massa. Quite inevitably, they ended up colliding… but this time it was the Ferrari driver who was deemed responsible for the accident.
In Abu Dhabi, Hamilton benefitted from the early retirement of Sebastian Vettel and dominated the race. Two weeks later, a gearbox problem put a premature end to his season.
Conclusion
For the first time of his F1 career, Lewis Hamilton finished behind his teammate in the standings. Despite 227 points scored and three wins, he was only 5th in the final classification. His season might well be remembered for his numerous race incidents and meetings with the stewards.
On the positive side, his great wins in China and Germany reminded everyone of the Lewis Hamilton who was considered as one of the greatest drivers of the field. He also had the satisfaction of depriving Red Bull of a 100% pole record in 2011.
Highs Three wins Pole position in Korea A few great races
Lows Too many collisions and meetings with the stewards Affected by his personal problems Finished 43 points behind Button
Nextgen-Auto.com marks : Oliver Ferret : 12/20 D.Thys : 15/20 Sandrine Bouchard : 14/20 Jean-Michel Setbon : 13/20 Average mark on the forum Nextgen-Auto.com : 14/20 Total : 68/100
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kelli52
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Sebastian Vettel....2010 & 2011 F1 World Champion :)
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Post by kelli52 on Feb 1, 2012 15:03:51 GMT
Adrian Sutil, convicted this week of grievous bodily harm, has angrily slammed his former friend Lewis Hamilton for his lack of support before and during Sutil’s assault trial.
Hamilton, the 2008 world champion and McLaren driver, declined to appear as a witness in former Force India driver Sutil’s trial this week over the assault of Lotus team executive Eric Lux.
Hamilton was sitting beside German Sutil, 29, at the time of the incident, but the Briton wrote in a statement to the Munich court that he could not remember the details of the scuffle.
He declined to appear as a witness, ostensibly due to the proximity to the launch date of his 2012 car.
“Lewis is a coward,” Bild newspaper quotes Sutil as saying.
“I don’t want to be friends with someone like that. If you ask me he’s not a man as even his father sent me a text message, wishing me the best of luck for the hearing. From Lewis, nothing. He even changed his number so I couldn’t reach him,” he added.
Sutil’s manager Manfred Zimmermann insists the criminal conviction does not endanger his FIA super-license, the mandatory credential for racing in formula one.
But he conceded that it is “almost impossible” that Sutil will be on the 2012 grid.
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Post by Anna on Feb 4, 2012 20:26:37 GMT
I find it so stupid. I mean at the end of the day Sutil was always going to be found guilty in some role or the other all Lewis had to do was support his friend a proper statement, a text of support and not changing your phone number and he'd be alright. I mean Sutil stood up for Lewis whenever Lewis messed up in F1. And he's messed up a lot.
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