Bernie: Hamilton deserves more praise

Eurosport - Wed, 05 Nov 18:04:00 2008

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has called for Lewis Hamilton to be given better recognition for his achievement in becoming the youngest ever world champion.

FORMULA 1 2008 Hamilton - 0

Hamilton won the drivers championship by a single point from Brazilian Felipe Massa following a dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos last Sunday but the Briton is seen in some quarters as arrogant, something Ecclestone feels is unwarranted.

"Hamilton is a young man doing his best and I get upset with people who say he is an arrogant bastard and all this nonsense. Lewis has achieved an awful lot," Ecclestone told The Times.

Ecclestone opined that "there are so many people out there that want him to lose, so he has to make sure he delivers."

"I think he comes over as a bit over-confident but don't forget they said the same about (former champion) Michael (Schumacher)," he added.

"He has to be careful what he says and how he presents himself," warned Ecclestone, who told the Daily Express that if Hamilton handles himself well then "things will open up commercially" meaning that he could ultimately become as feted in his sport as Tiger Woods is in golf.

"There could be a Tiger Woods effect," Ecclestone acknowledged.

Hamilton has meanwhile praised the role of his father Anthony in helping him become world champion.

Anthony Hamilton introduced his son to karting aged eight and played a variety as Lewis' passion for motorsport developed once his fathe had sown the initial seed.

"He's been an inspiration," said Hamilton.

Jokingly, Hamilton added that "he's a dad, a pain" on occasion.

"But he has done all the work to get me where I am, made all the sacrifices from the beginning, and even now he is still doing that."

British lawmakers on Tuesday praised Hamilton's achievement - although one, Liberal Democrat Bob Russell, MP for the southern town of Colchester, criticised his tax exile status.

Hamilton last year decided to move to Switzerland, a move which Accountancy Age magazine has estimated could save him an estimated six million dollars a year.

A House of Commons motion tabled by Labour MP for Leicester, Keith Vaz, congratulated Hamilton and lauded him as "an excellent role model and inspiration for all young people to aspire to".

Russell, however, tabled his own motion to add the words: "but regrets that his patriotism to the country which nurtured him, and made his success possible, is to live abroad as a tax exile."

AFP

Comment 28 - 47 of 67

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. why the fuss about Lewis living overseas how many of­ the others live in UK

    From mick l, on Thu 6 Nov 9:44AM

  2. actually most hansome driver on the grid is T­ GLOCK

    From ssharifahh, on Thu 6 Nov 7:56AM

  3. darling 38 julie
    please don't cry -- no need to be­ jealous / be sure he really loves you best of all

    we­ have met & talked to him .,., he was most charming­ &quite adorable

    From ssharifahh, on Thu 6 Nov 7:54AM

  4. jbolan , your a @#$% . You go on every forum putting­ the out the same @#$% . Just go away and find a life

    From pdmcosworth, on Thu 6 Nov 7:22AM

  5. Sir Stirling Moss has praised Lewis. I can't think­ of any higher praise you can receive. But still I­ remember Moss driving under powered British cars and­ winning races like no other. And if you run into a­ bobby while speeding he doesn't ask you if you­ think you Lewis Hamilton, he ask you if you think­ you're Stirling Moss. I guess the bobbys still­ think Moss is the fastest.

    From sky, on Thu 6 Nov 1:42AM

  6. I'll save my praise for Vettle driving a slower car­ and winning a race.

    From sky, on Thu 6 Nov 1:37AM

  7. What great fun!
    On the one side you have the Ferarri­ fans comlaining about EVERYTHING Lewis achieved! On the­ other you have the racists who compalin about­ EVERYTHING Lewis achieved ! and on the other hand­ (hmmm... only two hands, so I better start on the­ feet...) you have the rest of us applauding the­ achievement of Lewis Hamilton over the bigots and­ pro-Ferarri Stewards.
    The first Mixed Race Champion in­ F1 history and he´s British!
    Superb!

    From DJRicky B, on Thu 6 Nov 12:43AM

  8. well,mr ecclestone,i tend to disagree with you he maybe­ the world champion but all of those drivers deserve­ praises..not just because they won but because after a­ year most of them showed us of how much they have­ matured and improve...

    From jo-anne, on Wed 5 Nov 11:31PM

  9. err perhaps the taxes are too high in the UK ,,,why­ work your arse off for a bunch of incompetents too­ waste it...where u live dosen't make u any less of­ patriot.

    From browneyesmale, on Wed 5 Nov 9:23PM

  10. Bernie has made his calculations and has arrived at­ who's going to be bringing in the numbers in 2009.­ Simple as that

    From Second S, on Wed 5 Nov 8:27PM

  11. salsa747
    You are an embarrasment to true Fernando fans,­ when will you say something original. I know Fernando­ is the best but I just cringe when I see your postings­ or one of your cronies postings.

    From Julie4Fernando, on Wed 5 Nov 8:17PM

  12. cant you alonso fans see its not just hamilton mcclaren­ deserve the praise 9yr to long

    From ronaldo, on Wed 5 Nov 8:06PM

  13. If I was Mclaren and Anthony Hamilton, I'd take­ exception to an MP saying "regrets that his­ patriotism to the country which nurtured him, and made­ his success possible", given that his success as­ an F1 driver is down to them. I don't remember­ Go-Kart Racing on my curriculum or "Aerodynamic­ and Mechanical Principles of an F1 Car" being an­ option at GCSE.

    And salsa747, please knock it off. So­ what if in the last 8 races Alonso did well. In the­ first TEN he was nowhere to be seen. This is important­ as it is an 18 race championship. If it was based on a­ half season then please can you nip round to­ Alonso's house please and grab that 2006­ Championship Trophy for me. I'll deliver it to the­ guy who out scored Fernando in the second half of that­ season, and no it wan't Schumacher. I'll­ dropped it off at Jenson's house for you.

    From ginger_gitt, on Wed 5 Nov 8:01PM

  14. tifosi4eva for once we aggree on something.

    From PETER, on Wed 5 Nov 7:57PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    don't forget double WORLD champ *****ALONSO *** ­ gathered most points in 2nd half of season
    leaving­ other celebrated stars trailing in his slipstream
    ALL­ SET TO CONTINUE SUCCESS NEXT YEAR

    From salsa747, on Wed 5 Nov 7:31PM

  16. As usual, Bernice has no idea what he is talking about,­ why doesn't he just do what he normally does and­ talk to rich people about getting a new GP in Asia then­ how to ruin F1 next.

    From tifosi4eva, on Wed 5 Nov 7:23PM

  17. to tropop 27
    well said -- readers need reminding where­ is the real world///., apart from sports multi­ millionaires

    From salsa747, on Wed 5 Nov 7:21PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    skilled talented superstar double world champ­ ****ALONSO *** won a race from 15th on the grid
    and ­ another from 4th WITHOUT shunting anyone else off­ the track
    He deserves praise as finest driver on the­ circuit {AS agreed by TV commentator}}

    From salsa747, on Wed 5 Nov 7:18PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    why has the winner scuttled off to SWISS to boost their­ banking fortune ==most patriotic

    From salsa747, on Wed 5 Nov 7:13PM

  20. If you had lewis's money would you want to share it­ with the goverment and give them money??? They already­ take shed loads from your hard earned pitance you earn­ so you would be happy to give them more eh??? I dont­ think so.

    From JEFF F, on Wed 5 Nov 6:51PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account