Hamilton: I'm not arrogant

Eurosport - Wed, 15 Oct 13:01:00 2008

Lewis Hamilton has rejected Jackie Stewart's claim that he is arrogant and over confident in his driving style.

2008 Japanese GP McLaren Hamilton - 0

The championship leader's temperament has been once more been put in the spotlight after his disappointing 12th place finish at the Japanese GP saw his lead over Felipe Massa cut to five points with just two races left.

"I would never say I was better than anyone else. But I am a Formula 1 driver and all of us have to believe in ourselves to get to where we are," he told his official website.

"You have to have that belief to go out and win: and that's what helps you strive for better performance and to achieve more in your life. I look at the other drivers and I want to beat them.

"Recently, there have been lots of different quotes attributed to me. And sometimes I've said things that have either come out the wrong way or been taken out of context so people get a different feeling of what I've said when I haven't expressed myself correctly."

Hamilton's failure to score in Japan revived fears that history may be repeating itself after he allowed a commanding lead to slip through his fingers at the same stage last year.

"This was not his finest hour," triple champion Stewart told the RBS website, commenting on Hamilton's wild start and subsequent drive-through penalty at Fuji.

"His approach in that first corner was slightly arrogant to other drivers.

"The Japanese race demonstrated that Lewis is still very young, in only his second season, and although he comes across as very cool in interviews, he doesn't always have the same level of mind management when he's racing.

"Lewis Hamilton can still win the championship, but not if he drives the last two races the way he drove in Japan."

Hamilton also denied a recent story that quoted him as saying he was already better than three-time world champion Ayrton Senna.

"I never said that - and I definitely wouldn't say it about Ayrton because he's my favourite driver," he said.

"I think he's the best driver there ever was and, to this day, I still don't believe anyone would beat him. If I could achieve just a small part of what he's achieved, it would be a dream for me."

Meanwhile, former world champions Damon Hill and Niki Lauda have both said that Hamilton needs to calm down if he is to take F1 title.

"Lewis is impatient to win that first title, but you can't force it," 1996 champion Hill BBC Radio 5 Live, "There's no question about his speed or ability, he just needs to stay cool and let it happen.

"It's a mark of Lewis's career - he's always been very keen to get the job done and move on, and you need that impatience, but it can sometimes trip you up if you're not wary. Sunday's race was a lesson, and Lewis learns very quickly. He'll look back and think maybe it would've been better to settle into it more and got his rhythm going."

Lauda, meanwhile, told n-tv.de that he had been dismayed to see Hamilton making the same sort of mistake that cost him a title shot in 2007.

"I am disappointed with Lewis," the three-time champion sighed, "He threw away the championship last year in the same way, with absolutely unnecessary risks."

Seán Fay & Crash.net / Eurosport

Comment 223 - 242 of 242

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  1. Hamilton's 'arrogance' in driving is gonna­ cost him the title..again..regardless of who I am­ rooting for, hamilton seems to be impatient and because­ of that, he's become sloppy. Being too eager to get­ 10 points in his pockets, he's being careless.­ He's driving, champion material. His attitude, not­ champion like.

    From abeed_lotfy, on Fri 17 Oct 12:54PM

  2. MOLLYMALONEGEE stay there dont come back we need some­ space over here

    From stivsf1, on Wed 15 Oct 5:04PM

  3. TONY W CHEERS

    From stivsf1, on Wed 15 Oct 5:02PM

  4. dampo p well said.. off to bed my F1 fans its midnight­ in cebu... chat tomorrow

    From Tony, on Wed 15 Oct 4:44PM

  5. The FIA won't let Lewis win because of his skin­ colour. Massa is a cheat and Alonso is a ******

    From damo p, on Wed 15 Oct 4:19PM

  6. I'm off to watch Ireland play Cyprus and hope to­ jayzus we beat them this time!Good luck to ye all in­ yer matches tonight.

    From Sgt. Bilko, on Wed 15 Oct 4:16PM

  7. stivsf1 thanks i will

    do you fancy a Vodka and coke in­ the sun

    From Tony, on Wed 15 Oct 4:06PM

  8. MOLLYMALONEGEE you had to see L.H FLYING IN THE AIR­ when he was filming in turkey driving overalls and all­ to me he did not look like a popstar at all

    From stivsf1, on Wed 15 Oct 4:04PM

  9. TONY W try recite the rosary next time and after about­ ˝ hr yahoo will be ok

    From stivsf1, on Wed 15 Oct 3:56PM

  10. These drivers are just the same as the jockey in­ horseracing.If you have a good horse and youre anyway a­ decent jock you are in with a shout but if youre on a­ nag your f&%$&d.Theyre paid far too much and­ think there popstars or something.

    From Sgt. Bilko, on Wed 15 Oct 3:49PM

  11. SO according to this genius on anything F1 [CLIPSY­ DUCK] if one misspells a word here and there when its­ not his language one will be a looser, if he goes on­ other non ENGLISH sites not only he will be a non­ starter but he will look like an @#$%

    From stivsf1, on Wed 15 Oct 3:48PM

  12. lets try again

    Hamilton will win the title on­ Sunday... Alonso will run into Massa who inturn will­ run into Kibicsoooo... Super Arguri will be blamed for­ the incident and Massa will be awarded 1 million­ points...

    Sounds as if the stewards, bernie, mad max­ (not Mel Gibson) and ferrari have been watchin re-runs­ of Dallas when Bobbby Ewing returned from the spirit­ worild via the shower,,, at least Pammy was worth­ watchin

    anybody fancy a vodka and coke in the sun

    From Tony, on Wed 15 Oct 3:45PM

  13. Hamilton should listen to the advice from the­ experienced drivers whoo tell him he should take it­ easy. He just needs to keep massa in his sights and the­ title is in the bag.Too much media hype about what he­ said and didnt say and no one is sure what he really­ said anyway.Give it a rest.

    From Sgt. Bilko, on Wed 15 Oct 3:44PM

  14. tried to amke a simple coment and yahoo say invalid,,,

    From Tony, on Wed 15 Oct 3:40PM

  15. tried to amke a simple coment and yahoo say invalid,,,

    From Tony, on Wed 15 Oct 3:40PM

  16. ron get this guy in a room and tell him to drive the­ damm car and stay out of the media! last year when Kimi­ won his title how many times was he in the media not to­ many times shut up and drive and that put it nicely­ your hurting your team not yourself shut the hell up­ and drive the car you piss me off! M.S didn't talk­ to the media has much as you are and he 7 time world­ champ!

    From raiders1, on Wed 15 Oct 3:38PM

  17. I can't believe people are condoning taking the­ piss out of someone with Cerebral Palsy, no matter how­ much you hate his brother.

    From Mike, on Wed 15 Oct 3:17PM

  18. Yeah Lewis, keep telling yourself that.. You say one­ thing but you do another. he's good, but he's­ acting like Alonso in 2007 and he's overly­ aggressive

    From gigabytes11, on Wed 15 Oct 3:15PM

  19. GLIPSY DUCK calls everyone a hater well a pharmacist­ can only give some of what he have

    From stivsf1, on Wed 15 Oct 3:09PM

  20. Ferrari to win the last two races, I cannot understand­ why LH getting all this flak, he admitted his mistake.­ He is the best british driver we have, if you look at j­ button i`m pmsl. Honda are the biggest joke in f1, why­ Rubens Barrichello went there is beyond thinking. Good­ luck to him in the future, a true fair driver. As­ Hamiltons McLaren is really a ferrari sprayed silver,­ is it a wonder that 95% of the grid don`t want to see­ him win, let alone finish. Let`s be fair he has done­ well, for such a short time in the sport. I do wish he­ would stop smiling tho

    From chris, on Wed 15 Oct 3:00PM
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