Hamilton predicts open season in 2009

Eurosport - Tue, 02 Dec 13:27:00 2008

New regulations will leave next year's Formula One title battle wide open, according to McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton.

2008 Lewis Hamilton - 0

"I've already had a close look at the new car and the engineers have explained the philosophy behind it and just how different things will be next year," the 23-year-old Briton said via a press release.

"I've been watching testing with a lot of interest, I think the new cars will make next year's championship wide open and I'm really looking forward to tackling the new regulations," he added.

The 2009 cars have major aerodynamic changes and will also be using slick tyres instead of the grooved ones of recent years.

The season, which starts in Australia on March 29, will also see the introduction of KERS systems designed to convert the heat energy generated by the cars' brakes into short bursts of additional power.

Hamilton, who last month became the sport's youngest champion after beating Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa by a single point, said he had no plans to return to the racetrack before January.

Instead, he will limber up with a team training camp at the Kuortane Sports Institute in western Finland before returning to Britain to perform a demonstration run in his McLaren at London's Wembley Stadium as part of the December 14 Race of Champions event.

"Finland is when it (the training) all starts again in earnest," said Hamilton, whose Finnish team mate Heikki Kovalainen will be testing again in Spain and Portugal this month after the camp in Finland.

"Brazil already seems a long time ago and I'm now focusing 100 per cent on 2009," he added.

"Before Christmas, I plan to take a holiday and return fresh and positive to kick start our winter test programme with the MP4-24 (car)."

Reuters

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  1. Clarence,
    Hi-de-hi! you have to grow up.

    From , on Tue 2 Dec 7:28PM

  2. Clarence are you a gay ? (Hi-de-hi,sure i love gay-man­ :)

    From mary, on Tue 2 Dec 7:24PM

  3. Hi-de-hi! logios08, Clarence here.
    You are ranting dear­ it gives you such big worry lines you know. I thought­ darling ClipsyDuck was posing a hypothetical question­ my little worrybox. Its the big words isnt it pet you­ do struggle with them dont you. Ah Bless.
    Hi-de-hi!­ Clarence going.

    From , on Tue 2 Dec 6:47PM

  4. clispyduck,
    you have to grow up.

    From , on Tue 2 Dec 6:44PM

  5. ,what i just said 20m? make it just under­ 10m....lololol

    From Y, on Tue 2 Dec 6:38PM

  6. 100m hahaha...he has just under 20m so far,hahaha to­ give away 100m will take 2 life times of his...lol

    From Y, on Tue 2 Dec 6:36PM

  7. p 46 - Hamilton could give £100m pounds to an­ orphanage...
    .
    you are a joke are you...TEL THAT TO HIS­ FATHER,you make lol

    From Y, on Tue 2 Dec 6:31PM

  8. Hi-de-hi! Clarence here.
    Did you all read that post by­ the butch totallytv, Oooh it was so dominant (I put 3­ o's in that Ooh). He could take me out for a fish­ supper any time.
    Kevin stop that!
    Hi-de-hi! Clarence­ going.

    From , on Tue 2 Dec 6:03PM

  9. Please list to mama, my papa marnio is a very sad case,­ he got no friends and he smell like a llama. He know­ nothin about the F1 he reads the cuzco daily herald for­ the alpacha racing but he never ever seen a car that­ alone a racing car like the williams-ferrari or the­ silver arrows.
    please go easy on the old man he very­ demented.

    From Ardsay e Giv-a-Shee, on Tue 2 Dec 1:23PM

  10. you lot are really wierd, no seriously i am walking­ away nice and calmly.....

    From doomed01, on Tue 2 Dec 12:35PM

  11. totallytv: don't be a cry-baby (Mass'a words­ not mine) all your life.

    From BigBill, on Tue 2 Dec 10:27AM

  12. tommihew: I like the cut of your jib man.

    From BigBill, on Tue 2 Dec 10:26AM

  13. martin.mitevski26: You're still an idiot though.

    From BigBill, on Tue 2 Dec 10:20AM

  14. Mrs Bolan sure looks a foxy lady. I remember your lad­ mark Mrs B good young fella.

    From BigBill, on Tue 2 Dec 10:19AM

  15. clispyduck: Their hero Massa described their behaviour­ as "Cry-baby talk". Yes even Massa has enough­ of the cry-babies.

    From BigBill, on Tue 2 Dec 10:16AM

  16. Marnio, you do talk an incredible amouht of B*llocks­ dont you!

    From Jonathan, on Tue 2 Dec 9:51AM

  17. Hamilton could give £100m pounds to an orphanage and­ you @#$% Ferrari fans would try and find some fault in­ what he did. Sad, pathetic little losers the lot of­ you. What an incredible life you all must have carrying­ all that hate around and waiting anxiously until­ Hamilton is quoted in an article to give some meaning­ to them once again. Pathetic!

    From crispyduck, on Tue 2 Dec 9:50AM

  18. And i thought this discussion board would actually be­ discussing the pros and cons of the new aerodynamic­ packages and KERS system. Oh dear. Shame really. But­ alas I might aswell join in with the infantile­ behavoiur. I say Ferrari have had an unfair advantage­ for years with Schumacher Jean and Ross all bumming­ bernie. So One person in Mclaren gets sneaky and sly­ and Mclaren are now cheats...hmmmm Ferrari have been­ the epitomy of how should i­ say..."dubiousness" for season after season­ yet just because Bernie covered up very well for them­ they were totally legit. Schumacher was a brilliant­ driver but such dominance proves the point he had his­ hands down bernies pants along with the rest of­ Ferrari. I see Bernie is currently getting a divorce?­ Thats because his wife cannot live with the fact that­ Schumi Jean and Ross left, and yet he still has­ Ferraris hands down his pants. He told her it was only­ those three he loved, and when they left he would stop­ playing with Ferarri. He didnt stay true tohis word. I­ hope she gets HALF, and Bernie cant afford to keep­ paying Ferrari to pleasure him.

    From Tom, on Tue 2 Dec 7:47AM

  19. Marnio, you very naughty boy!

    From mrs.bolan, on Tue 2 Dec 1:34AM

  20. simple question from a simple mind. What will it take­ to prove to short sited people that hamilton is the­ most gifted and exciting driver of today? I,m guessing­ even divine inspiration wont be right!!!! Alonso is­ close, and Massa is just 3rd and I am glad that may be­ we can return to the days of old where you wondered who­ would win Senna, Prost or Mansell? Being an 80s child.­ Im sure there were good duels in the history books. but­ guess what......I dont care!!! When Schumacher was­ champ I lost all interest. He WAS the best and it WAS­ boring. Only Hill made a fight of it and that was the­ car. Good luck on your petty insults.

    From Craig the golf pro, on Tue 2 Dec 12:48AM
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