Hamilton determined to get back on top
Reuters - Wed, 04 Nov 10:22:00 2009
Lewis Hamilton will be pushing McLaren harder than ever over the next few months to make sure he does not have to endure another 'character-building' season like the one just finished.
The 2008 world champion started the Formula One campaign with a disqualification, battered by a storm over lying to stewards in Australia and struggling with a car that was painfully off the pace.
He ended it in Abu Dhabi on Sunday with the first mechanical retirement of his career after leading from pole position, but with everything to look forward to.
The 24-year-old Briton was fifth overall in the standings, with two race wins and five podium finishes.
In adversity, the sport's youngest champion grew stronger and wiser and now he wants his title back from compatriot Jenson Button.
"I'm pushing my team harder than they've ever been pushed, so they are all on the edge," said Hamilton, sitting down with a small group of reporters in Abu Dhabi last weekend.
"We're all pushing each other trying to make sure we leave no stone unturned because we want to arrive (at the 2010 season-opener in Bahrain next March) with a chance of winning the race rather than this year where we were dead last.
"We've obviously learned so much from this experience, and The first scheduled pre-season test is in February and Hamilton said he would be in the car "as much as they will give me" but otherwise would keep a close eye on developments.
"I'm always in touch with my engineers, asking if certain parts have been developed, have they maximised this or that, why is this, why is that?
"I like to know, and right now I could tell you quite a lot about my new car and why they've chosen this material, why we are going this way and not that way. I always ask a lot of questions."
Despite the shock of lining up as a world champion without the equipment to defend his title, Hamilton said the season had been fantastic.
Embarking on only his third year in Formula One, he was on the back foot for the first time and had to lower his expectations while newcomers Brawn and Red Bull turned the pecking order on its head.
"It's been quite a long, hard year, full of lots of great lessons, not just for me, but also for the team," he said. "We're a lot wiser and as a man I think I've learned a lot about myself. I think I've grown, I'm a lot more mature and wiser in the decisions that I take.
"As a driver, fighting from the back, (I've learned) how to work with the team and push them forward in a productive way, how to lift the team and keep them going.
"It's easy to do it when you're at the front all the time, but to do it when you're at the back, it's another experience," added the Englishman, who missed out on the title in his spectacular first season by one point.
"Every single experience you have, and they're mostly the bad experiences, are the character-building ones. It's how you overcome it, how you bounce back from it, how you rise above it.
"You can't change the past. In fact, what you do in your life makes you who you are. And if you learn from it, it makes you stronger," said Hamilton. "And then, as your life goes on, you achieve more as a result of building on what's gone before."
Hamilton made a public apology in Malaysia in April over the lying controversy, describing the furore as the worst thing he had experienced and explaining that he had been misled.
"Looking back on it, for sure, you wish you'd done it a little bit different, but it's water under the bridge," he says now. "It was a huge lesson learned."
By late July the McLaren was competitive again and Hamilton won in Hungary, a race overshadowed by the serious head injury suffered by Ferrari's Felipe Massa.
He took a second victory under the floodlights in Singapore and had looked certain to celebrate a third in Abu Dhabi before a brake problem forced him to stop.
"It was a real rollercoaster ride of a season and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though we had half a year which was not a great feeling for us as a team," he said.
"I feel my relationship with every individual in my team grew and we grew better and stronger as a team, and as a driver I feel very strong.
"So I don't feel I've come out of it any worse at least. I've been back at the front and had a couple of wins, which I never expected, and I'm loving the sport as much as I ever have," he added.
Hamilton has an extra incentive spurring him on whenever he goes to the Woking factory, a rare McLaren F1 road car that former boss Ron Dennis promised would be his if he won three titles.
"Whenever I walk past it, I don't even think my girlfriend gets the same look, bless her heart," he smiled. "She's definitely got a challenger there. I love that car, always loved it.
"I've stared at it for God knows how many years, and there is always something new to stare at."
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Comment 83 - 102 of 102
come on toutou waiting for your answers, and the ones to the Brawn party questions as well
'Well he doesn't know that my picture as been scanned and articles added to my predictions,so who is the FOOL.'
here we go! more lies
Toutou, I never claimed to know anything like that, but if you are refering to the claims that Shell have developed a petrol mix that is more calorific than anyone elses, then that is old hat. However, what you have not shown us is that you know the answers, because if you dont ,then you are no better better than the rest of us even though you claim to know 'stuff'. Show, show me that I am wrong in believing that you know nothing, just one post will settle this once and for all, but you wont will you?
Barrie = silly little boy
Go and play let the grown ups talk
BTW
Ellie I do like the new picy of the Matterhorn, and I forgot to say you were tight about Ra being so out of order.
Billp101, 83)The value of knowledge is that it can be shared.
It can be shared you are quite,and then the other person can say i knew that allready, but this time they dont know the answer to those three questions do they.
Billp101, believe me i am one step ahead allways, but hancock thinks he is clever, take his post (74)'10 read my back posts not yet confirmed to touronroute??Confirmed HEIKKI KOVALINEN number one at TOYOTA. 2010 29/10/2009'
Funny.
Well he doesn't know that my picture as been scanned and articles added to my predictions,so who is the FOOL.
Well allways let an idiot believe he is right.
Ellie
.
Who says handicapped is an unacceptable word?
I have yet to meet any of these people who say what is and what is not acceptable, and woe betide them if I do.
.
No word is unacceptable, only its context
.
barrie, are you serious? alonso appears to be involved in just as many lying and cheating saga's, especially the last with NP. You seen to be looking at things through rose tinted glasses
hamilton is a liar and a cheat and is pure scum ,alonso is by far the best driver in current f1
'I am still not saying what I saw when passing Donignton the other day though!! Iwill let you know and confirm it when IT happens'
you saw bernie with a tape measure and a high vis jacket?
'lensy thing'
philistines!
Absolute @#$% this is a mclaren shrine . Massa was let down by reliability of the ferrari and the piquet incident which resulted in a botched pitstop did not help , I do not see what the praise is about on this drivel of a post . You can thumb down my post I don't give a @#$% . Lh is talented and I won't slag him off I admire a good adversary but don't talk @#$% and say fia did this and that for massa , with you saying that you make me wonder what really happened in the last corner in brazil 08 . Massa got drive throughs , black flagged and you still use selective memory and wear biased spectacles ? I know this is england maclrens home but, this post is drivel to me .
Oh @#$% now we got another one baby potter ! Where do these wierdos come from ? Lol
Brawn........Bumfluff Button with his FLUKE and unearned title will be the "new" Barrichello at Brawn..Nico's whipping boy..
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Ferrfarti.....Alonso will cause no end of trouble at Ferrfarti and Massa is a none starter...
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USF1 ...... U S h it F aggots 1
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Williams... yeah what ever.
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Red bull-cr ap... hahahahaaaa..
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Toyota......ITS ALL OVER !!!!
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Manor Cosworth.... phuuuaaaaaaarrrrrrppppp
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Force India....... phuuuaaaaaaarrrrrrppppp
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Torro Rosso....... phuuuaaaaaaarrrrrrppppp
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Sauber ...... F1's very own deadwood collection.
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Lotus........ Resigned to the history books forever.
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Campos Meta.......Spanish work shy fops.
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Renault........... Lucky to be on the grid at all the French surrender monkey's. (drivers need death wish)
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...McLAREN ..still under FULL control of the great Ron Dennis will have the YOUNGEST EVER WORLD DRIVERS CHAMPION and PROUD Englishman Lewis Hamilton at the front next season ... no matter who gets the other drive..
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== McLAREN WIN 2010 CONSTRUCTORS == HAMILTON WINS 2010 WORLD DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP ==
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............... McLAREN TAKE 3rd..........Ferrfarti 4th .......yyyyyyyyyeeeeessssss!!!
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++++++++++++++++ POTTER = THICKEST ON F1 SITE +++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++ TOURONROUTE = SAME AS POTTER +++++++++++++++++++
Good evening Miss Ellie.
Yes, I agree with your summary of identities.
A most interesting occurrence.
Ellie93: Your final paragraph is too close to Touron-speak for me. Halloween is over and you shouldn't be scaring people like that :-)
Ooh this is a good plan, I succeeded to make tomato sauce with it but No pizza....so I'm always saying yam yam hamp Hampster.
Thing is BLippy, if he had ot do my job, yours or Pauls he would not last five minutes, when he comes up against people who do not have invent a life in FI peripheries to demosntrate to others that they are worthwhile, and who have enough intelligence, not just to abuse him but to facve him abck with his knowedlge, he fades away, and cannot compete.
I am still not saying what I saw when passing Donignton the other day though!! Iwill let you know and confirm it when IT happens
Lewis you have talent and you will one day lift the WDC again, you will be on top for years.
Hi Ellie: Its just Touron being Touron - run away when challenged to answer his own questions. He seems to think that knowledge (if he has any at all) is a thing to be hoarded, gloated over and used for self-ego. Too sad for words, really.
oh and Touotu, I did ask for details of your 'meeting' and in fo gathering with Cosworth, you seem to have forgotten that bit
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