Hamilton doubts over standard engine

Eurosport - Fri, 12 Dec 08:10:00 2008

World champion Lewis Hamilton does not think that Formula One will introduce a standard engine for all teams as a central plank of cost-cutting plans.

2008 Lewis Hamilton - 0

The governing FIA is clamping down on costs as F1 struggles to survive amid the global credit crisis, but Hamilton does not think the idea will get off the ground.

"I don't think that is ever going to happen," he said. "I can't see that happening simply because the manufacturers play such a huge role in the sport," Hamilton told the BBC.

The motor-racing world is still reeling after Japanese manufacturer Honda pulled out of the championship. FIA president Max Mosley sees the introduction of a standard engine and gearbox from 2010 as means of cutting costs by up to 80 per cent.

The Formula One Teams' Association, which agreed measures to cut costs from 2009 on Wednesday, opposes the standard engines plan - and Hamilton said races would become "less exciting" were they to materialise.

"The world is struggling but they are always taking the right actions to make the sport cheaper," he said.

"But every time they introduce something new, it costs more money - so it's about having a balance.

"They are doing the best job they can to be more cost effective - and I'm supportive of that."

The McLaren driver is skipping this week's testing in Jerez, Spain as he prepares for the season-opening race in Melbourne on March 29.

He said: "There is less pressure (now), but I'd love to win the title again.

"But you can never be too confident or too comfortable - you have to come back down to earth and reset your goals."

AFP

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  1. Never Y, never, in all my born days have I read so much­ tripe.
    You sad lonely useless loser. When will idiots­ like you get a life?
    Never.
    Lewis Hamilton IS the F1­ World Champion, he will continue to be until the end of­ next year.
    There wasn't any cheating by him, or any­ other driver or team.
    The saddest thing in all your­ idiot posts is your lack of ability to understand that­ Lewis Hamilton won and injected some excitement into F1­ again.
    When you grow up and get a real brain you might­ be able to understand this.
    But I doubt it.
    Now go­ away, play with your toys and shut up.

    From Jon, on Sat 13 Dec 9:43PM

  2. Cosworth is pretty neutral though. Don't forget­ Cosworth is the most succesful engine ever to grace­ Motorsport, hundreds of F1 wins, DTM, even WRC wins.­ And It all started from a little back street garage in­ the UK.

    It could never be the default F1 engine­ though. It should just be used as an equalising­ alternative for the poorer constructor teams. However­ if it starts winning and dominating like it did the­ last time it was introduced to F1 beating Ferrari every­ weekend, well? Who knows?

    From mark, on Fri 12 Dec 9:21PM

  3. I'd rather hear what the CEOs of Mercedes, BMW,­ Toyota and Renault think about having to wrap their­ liveries around Cosworth engines. The drivers will be­ willing to drive whatever they are given.

    From Neil M, on Fri 12 Dec 9:03PM

  4. the rule changes are neded to save money but why did­ the y not think that before as now honda has gone and­ the rest of the teams will be struggling for fiance so­ why change anything beacuse gonna cost a lot more money­ to build new cars to adapt to the new rules but maybe­ the honda team can be saved by a wealthy money to burn­ arab

    From NICHOLAS S, on Fri 12 Dec 5:59PM

  5. Doc Y it's called recursion.

    From BigBill, on Fri 12 Dec 3:36PM

  6. ban rule changes to simply create more over-taking­ opportunities. this should reduce costs significantly!?­ Mad Max's ideas over recent years have sent costs­ spiralling upwards. even better - ban him from speaking­ at meetings

    From kabsl, on Fri 12 Dec 3:17PM

  7. Yeah, I guess so D.B. ;)
    Anyway, it's back to work­ for me now, and since I may not be here for the rest of­ this year, may I be the first to wish you all a Merry­ Christmas and a Happy New Year!

    From Yaz, on Fri 12 Dec 3:07PM

  8. dr yassam, there is always hope and faith, and also a­ good health system with various kinds of nursing­ homes.

    D.Bristow

    From , on Fri 12 Dec 2:59PM

  9. Hi Bill Mac, yeah I've been very busy doing other­ things. Just passing through. Good to see you're­ still here. :)

    From Yaz, on Fri 12 Dec 2:53PM

  10. D.Bristow, I understand where you're coming from,­ but believe me, that person is not going to go away.­ :)

    BTW, you do realize that your post is actually­ drawing attention to the person you say we­ shouldn't be drawing attention to? Oops, and I­ guess I'm doing it again with this post. When will­ it all end? ;)

    From Yaz, on Fri 12 Dec 2:51PM

  11. d.bristow if only you were right. Did you notice in­ your post who you were talking about btw?

    From BigBill, on Fri 12 Dec 2:16PM

  12. ginger gitt. Well said. The likes of Trulli and­ Fisichella have had their chance in a top car and were­ found wanting. Hamilton has jumped into a McLaren and­ been an immediate success, that's what gets up­ their noses.

    From Graham P, on Fri 12 Dec 1:45PM

  13. dr yassam, Bill Mac, Martin K, will you stop drawing­ attention to this person Never Y and get back to the­ topic at hand. You are giving this person all of the­ exposure and attention he wants, as long as you keep­ commenting about this person he is simply going to keep­ writing the same @#$% time and again. If you leave him­ alone he might go away and write something­ sensible.

    D.Bristow

    From , on Fri 12 Dec 1:29PM

  14. MARTIN K, YOU ARE SPOT ON ABOUT NEVER Y

    From I TYSON, on Fri 12 Dec 12:32PM

  15. KING LEWIS LOVE IT

    From I TYSON, on Fri 12 Dec 12:31PM

  16. Hi Doc Y haven't seen you around for a while.­ You're spot on about that idiot Never Y, Marnio­ etc, he is to be pitied there is something seriously­ wrong in that guys head. I suspect he is only dangerous­ to himself though, he obviously doesn't have any­ personal courage but I think he might be prone to­ self-harm.
    It makes you think that euthanasia is not­ such a bad thing after all.

    From BigBill, on Fri 12 Dec 12:19PM

  17. Martin K wrote: "You are obviously very proud of­ your little composition"

    Correct, this person is.­ Unfortunately it shows his (or her) lack of­ intelligence, and the lack of any conversation skills,­ and the obvious craving for attention. Hence he/she­ should really be pitied.

    What I mean is, even the most­ hardcore of haters here (on all sides) are still­ capable of putting their views across and are capable­ of responding to the views of others in relation to the­ topic, however good or bad their response may be. This­ person simply cuts and pastes the same comments across­ multiple topics, meaning there's no direct­ interaction with anyone, little if any relevence to the­ topic, and hence he/she simply takes pleasure in­ annoying others whilst gaining the attention he or she­ desires.

    So like I said, this person is to be pitied.

    From Yaz, on Fri 12 Dec 10:30AM

  18. Re:Never Y
    You are obviously very proud of your little­ composition, You have used it on every F1 story that I­ have read this week. Get a life!

    From markear1, on Fri 12 Dec 9:41AM

  19. h1 ...guys..I suggest you view more at­ _____Searchingsenior_____ where all Men can find real­ sexy single beauties online with photos,... who­ enjoying chatting sports and stars..

    From roy_is_lonely, on Fri 12 Dec 8:27AM

  20. Scottish C
    You're back!
    I guess he ended up nowhere­ too often due to lack of commitment. Not too happy in­ his job I'd say.

    From Count Louis Zborowski, on Fri 12 Dec 7:51AM
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