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 183 - 202 of 242

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  1. scrooloos 199 - How can you say LH 'is the best'? What has he won? The WDC was put on a plate for him by Ron Dennis in 2007 and he threw it away - How is that 'the best'? When he wins something then you can rate him. Given the fact that he has been gifted a drive in one of the best cars available (without having worked his way up!) I think he is just a lucky little boy. If he doesn't make the most of the unbelievable opportunity he has been given then he will defenitely be 'the worst'!

    From wellhung, on Wed 15 Oct 12:21PM

  2. to pond. simba you sound like a boy racer stupid and no idea of driving at my age i could show you a thing or two

    From scrooloos, on Wed 15 Oct 12:18PM

  3. Exactly RAY T! The harm the FIA is doing is almost irrepairable. The glaringly obvious lack of fairness and impartiality have destroyed my and many people that I know's opinion on F1. This year has been a total sham with decision after decision going in the favour of Massa. A small list: The Bourdais incident, Causing Sutil to crash, Pit lane incidents, The Hamilton shunt, Spa, and so on and so on!
    Bernie's statement of "I'll help Felipe in any way I can" sums up the season for me.

    From crispyduck, on Wed 15 Oct 12:13PM

  4. If Hamilton made the same mistakes with any other team he would have gotten the boot by now - Mclaren (Ron Dennis)have given this brat licence to do what he likes and its gone right to his little peanut head.

    From wellhung, on Wed 15 Oct 12:12PM

  5. when you are the best as LH is he has that rare abillity to be part of the car and the envey of many other drivers who would like to be like\ wise including onesself who competed in mini cooper s and renault 5s when i was 21 i am now 71 if you need to know have crashed alot of fine cars at very high speeds Go LH lead them all home

    From scrooloos, on Wed 15 Oct 12:11PM

  6. talented driver? ur kidding right rick? his driving is shocking!

    From pond.simba@..., on Wed 15 Oct 11:55AM

  7. rick m please shut up your comments are pathetic and nobody likes you, go away.

    From pond.simba@..., on Wed 15 Oct 11:54AM

  8. A LOT OF CHILDREN ON HERE TODAY, WITH YOUR CHILDISH COMMENTS, THIS IS MOTOR SPORT, AS BENT AS IT FOR FOR ONE PARTICULAR TEAM IN RED, DID YOU KNOW THAT THE TV RATINGS ARE DOWN BY A 1/3rd YOU CAN GUESS WHY HOW BENT IT'S GONE FOR ONE TEAM TO WIN, THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT COST CUTTING THERE IS NO NEED IN 3-4 YRS TIME NO ONE WILL BE WATCHING THIS SPORT, AND THE FIA AND IT'S SIDE KICKS CAN'T SEE IT !

    From I TYSON, on Wed 15 Oct 11:29AM

  9. LH is an extremely talented DRIVER but at the moment he is a poor RACER. He has made far too many mistakes to be worth the title this year and so has Massa. I hope Kubica gets it , he doesn't seem to make mistakes and he is just behind them in (at present) a second string car.

    From Biggles, on Wed 15 Oct 11:29AM

  10. It's a fine line between love and hate SadGITtarius! You type so much about Hamilton that I have to wonder how lonely your sad little life would be without him in it. You are definately stalker material. Seek help!

    From crispyduck, on Wed 15 Oct 11:23AM

  11. golden haired boy is not listed in The Oxford Reference Dictionary so I will stick with Golden Boy, even though he isn't. Also, 'Grand Prix' was originally the name given in 1863 to a (horse) race for three year olds - quite appropriate don't you think?

    From Biggles, on Wed 15 Oct 11:23AM

  12. Sagitarius... It's called proud to be british, my freind. Do you not want to support your home team??? I do.

    From trvr_elkins, on Wed 15 Oct 11:18AM

  13. I hope everyone one on this tread eats their words as when he wins the world title. I think he is the best we have had for a long time and he has shown that to his fan last year and this year so everyone who is slagging him off get a life.

    From brianandrew810@..., on Wed 15 Oct 11:12AM

  14. Lewis hamilton--- Beware of low flying dummies , rattles and other toys being thrown from his pram

    From PAULY, on Wed 15 Oct 11:02AM

  15. rick m... it's an expression... the golden haired child refers to those who have all the advantages, such as hamilton has received from mclaren over the course of his 'career'...

    From sagittarius1958, on Wed 15 Oct 11:00AM

  16. Maurice, post 174: You said it so who are we to disagree with you.

    From Biggles, on Wed 15 Oct 10:50AM

  17. Agree with what you say Sagittarius but since when did LH have golden hair?.

    From Biggles, on Wed 15 Oct 10:37AM

  18. trvr_elkins... do you even realize that your comment is racist in nature?? why should british formula one fans be 'forced' to cheer hamilton on?? who is he that he "deserves" that kind of adulation from all britons?? i'm sure there are fans everywhere in britain who do not support ron dennis' golden haired boy wonder... fans who are asking 'hamilton who??'

    From sagittarius1958, on Wed 15 Oct 10:28AM

  19. mike q... i beg to differ... it's those 'knee-jerk' reactions that tell you what a person is really thinking, just because they respond without thinking... he wasn't talking about being the moral 'victor' at spa, as i remember, he declared himself the 'moral champion' of the season, that's terribly arrogant... as for alonso, i'd suggest to you that hamilton could have learnt a great deal from him, but dennis' assertion that hamilton was 'the' mclaren and hamilton's giant sized ego, did him no favours in that regard... let's face it, the kid needs to come down to earth a bit when it comes to what he expects from the formula one world... at the end of the day, he is not the second coming... in fact, hamilton who??

    From sagittarius1958, on Wed 15 Oct 10:24AM

  20. I remember when Raikonnen was in Sauber you can see how good he is or when Schumy was in Ferrari in 1996 not the best cars then. Think Glock and Kubica has great potential much more than Hamilton. He's just lucky to start out in a Mc Laren unlike some drivers. Its the car that make him 'look good' it's not him hahahaha

    From Rose, on Wed 15 Oct 10:22AM
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