Hamilton 'happier than ever'

Reuters - Fri, 05 Mar 23:38:00 2010

Whatever happens in next weekend's Formula One season-opener in Bahrain, Lewis Hamilton expects to keep on smiling.

FORMULA ONE Lewis Hamilton, after setting fastest lap in testing on final day of Jerez GP - 0

Re-united with his girlfriend, pop singer Nicole Scherzinger, and with a McLaren that has looked quick in testing after a difficult 2009 season, the 25-year-old says he is happier than ever.

"Regardless of what happens next week, or in the first few races, I'm in the happiest place, just in my life," said the 2008 world champion, after a karting 'contest' this week in which he and new world champion team mate Jenson Button effortlessly put reporters in their place.

"I feel fit, happy with the direction I'm taking, happy in my personal relationship," he added, relaxed and smiling in contrast to the tired and sweaty group around him.

"Nothing is perfect but it's a work in progress, it's all going in the same direction, so I'm really good."

Hamilton, joking with Button like the best of friends but fiercely competitive the second he stepped behind the wheel, said his team mate's arrival at McLaren had also unexpectedly opened doors.

"Just working with him, he is probably one of the easiest people I know to get on with," he explained.

"He is very professional, I was blown away by how polite he is and well-mannered, which shows he has real good family values.

"I knew he was like that before, but when you spend quality time with someone, you get to see perhaps a bit more," added the Briton, who has never been beaten over the course of a championship by any team mate.

"For example, it might be opening a door for you, something small like that. I don't know many drivers who do that. I try to be a gentleman, but perhaps more to women."

Hamilton revealed this week that he would be seeking a new manager, with his father focusing on other business interests.

He said however that he was not about to break loose. "I am who I am, I don't think anybody has stopped me from being who I wanted to be," he said. "Maybe I might buy one car this year, who knows. But that's not being wild.

"I've still the same girl, I race for the same team and I've still the same dedication and determination. I don't think you should change something that works. My style and my approach has worked for me always and I intend to keep it that way."

The bookmakers favour Hamilton over Button and he does not expect to lose either, although he said his experiences from last year had made him stronger and better equipped mentally.

His happiness was another weapon.

"When you are happy you win races," he said. "I remember, some races I've won, I've been in the happiest mood, and nothing could touch it. It's a great feeling when you do that, so hopefully it will contribute.

"I'm just going to do the best job I can, and he is going to push his hardest," added Hamilton when asked whether he could keep Button in his mirrors.

"He will want to be ahead of me, and vice versa, but out of the car we will be chilled.

"It's difficult to say who is quickest at the moment, but I guess we will see next week, won't we?"

Reuters

Comment 9 - 28 of 28

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  1. Nothing like a woman to get you back on track...Love­ 'em!

    From Rabbi, on Wed 17 Mar 0:12

  2. I think that both Hamilton and Button have demonstrated­ incredible guts and dedication throughout their­ motorsport histories. Although young, they are both­ very mature in the cockpit and are both clearly­ gentlemen. I sincerely hope that they will work­ together as a team, but without sacrificing any edge­ that one might have over the other on race days. ­ I'm struggling to think of a more potentially­ harmonious F1 pairing in recent years. Chances are­ they may well have the odd 'coming together' in­ the season ahead, but somehow feel that we won't be­ seing the kind of posturing, slanging and fist throwing­ that we have seen from more hot-headed types in the­ past.

    From RAY, on Tue 9 Mar 6:11

  3. I think it is fantastic that we have a Mclaren team­ with 2 British drivers . Lewis is one of the very best­ i have ever seen for speed , but can be temperemental­ and is prone to the odd shunt , Jensen is smothness­ personified with the neatest driving style around . I­ think Lewis will come out on top though , his­ experience with the whole Mclaren set-up should give­ him the edge and i can see him winning half a dozen­ races to Jensen's 2 or 3 . looking forward also to­ seeing how Schumacher handles someone like Hamilton ,­ who will not back-off or lift for him , as Corporal­ Jones used to say " they don't like it up­ em" . Go get em boys .

    From alex m, on Tue 9 Mar 5:53

  4. Over the years that Jenson has been driving, his graph­ patterns on computer readouts have shown him to be one­ of the the smoothest drivers on any given circuit. This­ has proven, given a decent car, to be a winning­ combination.
    The greatest driver I have ever seen in a­ Formula 1 car said "The more you concentrate the­ faster you go" and proved the point by winning 25­ G.P.s out of 75 races, that included two seasons when­ he had a rubbish car. That drivers name - if it­ has'nt allready clicked - was Jim Clark.

    ­ ­ from­ "flyinbrian" Ageing F.1. fan

    From Brian, on Tue 9 Mar 5:13

  5. Exactly demo. There seems to be a belief of these­ boards that Lewis is bad at tyre management, but nobody­ ever supplies hard evidence to back this up. I do­ agree, however, that Jenson is good on his tyres, he­ proved that on a number of occasions last year - or was­ it the car?

    But you know what it's like on these­ board, an idiot has an idea and all of a sudden a new­ fact has been born. When will they learn the­ difference between opinion and fact?

    From bruce, on Mon 8 Mar 4:54

  6. Over the past couple of weeks I've been reading the­ articles left by you all. Seems to me you're all­ suffering from the usual British disease of knocking­ people off their pedestal. What about EVERYONE­ getting behind Jenson and Hamilton. None of us know­ what is going on behind closed doors but if Hamilton is­ saying they are good mates, then lets accept that's­ the case. The two of them, strong and together, will­ hopefully blow the rest of them out of the water. ­ Nothing will "P" the rest of them off more if­ LH and JB are united. I for one think that the two of­ them can do it, and let the best man/driver win. ­ Lets BELIEVE .....

    From legg827, on Mon 8 Mar 2:59

  7. So Alex explain bridgestone saying lewis was kinder to­ his tyres than jenson so far this year?

    From Demo, on Sun 7 Mar 23:50

  8. They are both talented drivers and Lewis probably has­ more raw speed than Jenson. However, Jenson has­ proven his ability to manage the tires. Lewis has­ proven his lack of that ability. Nobody, except maybe­ Vettel, uses up tires as fast as Lewis does. Lewis­ needs to learn to manage the tires to beat Jenson this­ year.

    From Alex, on Sun 7 Mar 20:46
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Ellie (post 15) -- I agree, something strange is going­ on. A great deal of my posts have disappeared and­ some of the articles have dropped of completely. ­
    .
    There does seem to be a bit of a pattern:
    One was­ the Chandhok announcement (the uni-brow­ bru-ha-ha)
    .
    Another was a post where I wondered /­ speculated what was up with Hammy firing his dad­ shortly after getting back with the PussyCatDoll. ­
    .
    Methinks some people have gone Political Correctness­ mad. Strange how some throw real abuse around with­ swearing and racial epithets and they stay on the­ board, while my posts were completely circumspect­ (unless you ask Brit-hating Justice4All) Whateva... ­
    .
    Oh yeah, the third was where I told tourontit that­ he was a silly egomaniac for believing that someone­ would (or could be bothered) to sue him for millions if­ he wasn't so cryptic in his so-called­ "predictions."
    .
    :)

    From Abbinator, on Sun 7 Mar 14:33
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    lewis is a bit of a crasher
    JENSON WILL WIN­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From martinw2381, on Sun 7 Mar 13:52

  11. Ross and speed m, Hamilton won the drivers championship­ in 2008 fair and square, he is a better driver than­ Jenson and will win many races and championships to­ come. Jenson drivers championship was a bit of a ­ fluke on an unfair advantage of a double deck diffuser­ over the rest of the teams, when he had still the­ quickest car on the grid towards the end last year and­ hamilton had a slightly above average car, Hamilton­ kicked his butt and that will happen again. 2010­ Hamilton world champ and Mclaren Constructors!!!

    From n, on Sun 7 Mar 13:10

  12. Barry M, Thank you, sir. What's the problem with­ the schedule page on this so called F-1 News? Hell, I­ would have missed the first race by 2 weeks!!!!!

    From sarg g, on Sun 7 Mar 12:22
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    he will never get the title back, it was a fluke. ­ button will wipe the floor with the gappy toothed­ cheating muppet

    From speed m, on Sun 7 Mar 11:45

  14. sarg.g.............you read the date ABOVE the race­ name.

    From Gargletrope, on Sun 7 Mar 11:28

  15. Arty Farty just get someone, who unlike you is not from­ a dysfunctional familly and perhaps they will­ explain.

    If anyone sees Art Farty (currently Ralph C)­ choking in Bristol then just walk past and let him­ choke please.

    From William S (not the nutter), on Sun 7 Mar 11:18

  16. Friday 12 March - Sunday 14 March

    From timmy, on Sun 7 Mar 9:56

  17. sarg g,It is March 12-13-14, not 26-27-28!

    From Barry M, on Sun 7 Mar 9:51

  18. Gentlemen, can somebody set me straight please. The­ race calander indicates the season opener to be in­ Bahrain March 26-March 28. That is 3 weeks away not­ next week as many have stated. I am confused, what is­ the race date?

    From sarg g, on Sun 7 Mar 9:35

  19. Come on Lewis Hamilton ,you should win the race 2010.­ you are super DRIVER.

    From , on Sun 7 Mar 4:37

  20. I don't think there will be any bellyaching from­ Jenson or Lewis if the other wins because they both­ know that their cars are equal in every aspect except­ their own personal settings, as for the other two­ messers Alonso & Kovalainen well with Kovalainen­ even wehen he did get pole he was very quickly seen­ engaging reverse and going backwards through the pack­ so much for his whinging as for Alonsoto say he was in­ an inferior car is well !! how many points was he­ behind Lewis & Riekenan? instead of bleating about­ how unfairly he was being treated & his petty­ attempts at mind games he should have revelled in the­ competition and to win fairly, just look at what­ happened when his car was not competative he only won 1­ race and that was to get some to crash regardless of­ the said shunt and injuies and DEATH this could have­ caused. No this your there are going to be to very­ happy drivers out there doing what they like doing best­ DICING for the LEAD

    From GRAHAM, on Sun 7 Mar 4:00
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