Both former team-mate Fernando Alonso and new world championship leader Robert Kubica would do a better job than Lewis Hamilton in the same car, F1 ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone asserts.
Bernie Ecclestone has added his voice to those claiming Lewis Hamilton has disappointed in the 2008 Formula 1 campaign to-date, suggesting that in his opinion, at least two of the young Briton's rivals would do a better job than him in the same car.
The McLaren-Mercedes ace has come under fire from a number of quarters this year, with ex team-mate Fernando Alonso recently joining in the criticism [see separate story - click here], claiming that Hamilton was lucky in 2007 - his maiden season in the top flight - to do as well as he did.
Ecclestone, indeed, said he sympathised with the Spaniard's plight, after the double world champion returned to Renault in 2008 following a troubled campaign alongside Hamilton at McLaren last year. The sport's ringmaster said that in his opinion, Alonso - now struggling behind the wheel of a significantly less competitive car than he has had for the past few seasons - remains the finest of the current grand prix crop.
"If he was still in a McLaren he would be showing Lewis the way home," Ecclestone told The Times. "I don't think there is any doubt about that.
"I never asked the guy - I'm going to ask him one day - whether he was told [by McLaren] he was number one.
"If he didn't ask and he wasn't told, he would have assumed he was. Having a guy that's never been in a Formula 1 car in the team with him, he'd expect to be number one, wouldn't he?
"That's what the problem was. When he found out, although he should have been number one, of course he wasn't."
The 77-year-old also had high words of praise for BMW-Sauber's emerging star Robert Kubica, who with his flawless breakthrough victory in the Canadian Grand Prix last time out - only his 29th race in the top flight - has sensationally assumed the world championship lead.
"If you saw him in a McLaren or a Ferrari, I think I'd put my money on him blowing away Hamilton," Ecclestone added.
Hamilton, however, has received a vote of confidence from Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Vice-President Norbert Haug, who sprang to the 23-year-old's defence over his embarrassing exit in Montreal, when he crashed into the back of the Ferrari of chief title rival Kimi Raikkonen in the pit-lane, for which he has since received a ten-place grid penalty for the upcoming French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours.
"Everyone makes mistakes," the 55-year-old underlined, speaking to German news agency DPA, "and in Canada he paid the price.
"We support him fully and will continue to do so, but he doesn't require any motivation pills."
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Yeah well, I never thought that Button was that amazing, but after reading the british news n 2006, he was declared as he next world champion. All I'm saying is you guys are a very nationalistic bunch, which can get verrrryyy annoying, because I usually respect how good of a job the English media does. I just think many non English F1 fans were put off by the the huge Hamilton hype. He came in to the sport in the fastest of cars, and I know he is impressively quick, he is not the fastest man on the grid, by any length, and it would be nice if you all relaxed a little, instead of constantly telling the world how perfect Hamilton is. I think Peter Windor is a very smart journalist, one of the best there is, but his articles on hamilton seem just to be trying to worship him. I don't know, just relax a bit and enjoy the show. And keep in mind hamilton isn't the only driver on the field. Good job Kubica!
The difference between Button and Hamilton. PERFORMANCE. Button = 1 win and a smattering of paltry podiums as best of the rest. Hamilton = Several wins, an OUTSTANDING rookie year with 9 straight podiums and the will to do it again. So what if arrogance plays a part? Senna was an arrogant pompous bloke, but he got the job done. Schumacher (Snr) was the same and he got the job done too. So why all the cr4p about Hamilton's attitude? Who cares whether the guy is everybody's buddy? As long as he's able to compete for the team.
Before anyone points anything out, I'm NOT a 100% Dyed in the wool Hamilton fan, it was the best thing for F1 for Kubica to win the race in Canada as it gave all the complacent teams at the top a virtual shot in the arm and reminded them that others are waiting to pounce when they fumble the ball. That said, unlike a lot of the UK fans here, I am unable to totally ignore the fact that he is a BRITISH driver in a BRITISH car challenging for the world championship. Good on him and hope he gets it. When Hill won in '96, the UK suddenly became "Hill-ites" and he was the best thing since sliced bread, then suddenly he drops into obscurity. WHere's your pride? Where's your stiff upper lip? Above all, where's your COMMON SENSE!!!!!
Haha!
Yes, finally someone that lives in England and doesn't lick and worship the ground on which Mr. Lewis walks on. This was the same with the english press with button. He's a superstar. As soon as he starts underperforming, dump him. Except that this is different in that button can drive an F1 car.
Motor racing as a sport extaneds FAR further than the limited racing allowed today in Formula 1. If you strip out team orders, the suggested "Ferrari/FIA Conspiracy" (Which seems to me to be a seeming reality after last year's spygate fiasco's), and the now outlawed (Yeah Right!) technologies, all you ar eleft with is the glorified carnival parades which dominated F1 in the early 2000's. Like it or not, the best thing to happen in F1 recently was the retirement of a certain "red arrow" pilot, as it turned the sport on it's head and gave us back some uncertainty to each race.
My point to all this is that LH wrote his biography ABOUT the years he spent trying to get into F1 and th eyears he spent as a protoge under the McLaren wing, NOT about his single year racing as an F1 pilot. That one year, he garnered more support from UK based fans than most other UK drivers had over their entire careers. On top of this, he is the first coloured driver in the sport, (Not a racist comment, merely pointing out a true fact) a fact which seems to have gone unnoticed and unremarked upon, except for th eodd racism issue on these forums and at Barcelona.
Imagine just what will happen when the first female driver graces the track and heaven forbid that she's bloody quick.... The pundits and doom-sayers amongst us all will be quick to pummel any new and fresh faces which fail to impress at any one time. ALl the comments here prove that as a fanbase, we are a very fickle and superficial bunch! (ANd yes, I include MYSELF amongst that comment.)
To Kenneth O... you're kidding right?? a different set of rules for kimi and hamilton? in case you hadn't heard, kimi was also investigated and exonerated for the incident with sutil... however, there is a huge difference between how each handled their particular incident... kimi apologized SINCERELY, whereas hamilton's arrogance only allowed him to suggest that "IF" he ruined kimi's race he was sorry... that's the difference you should be looking at... the complete and utter lack of sportsmanship that hamilton is guilty of thanks to the arrogance he brings to the sport... imagine, writing your auto-biography after one year in the sport (sounds like the book is about as much of a dud as he has been so far this season...)
shut up ....... who was lewis beating in gp2 and karts .... oh yeh .... kubica + piquet!
well...at least Bernie is sincere enough to admit who's the best driver in formula one.
It's so funny to hear people here talking about Hamilton being a super star!!.
watching Lewis from the chinesse grand prix last year, up to this cannadian grand prix tells me that there's not a worse driver in formula one than him.
That mclaren car is such a waste in his hands that it only makes me cry.
And please MR. Ron Dennis, don't try to play the "equal oportunity card" this year with Kova; because we all know that Lewis is getting all the advantages this year!.
Sorry it was Ronwoon who made the racist benign stupid comment
Nice Racist COMMENT REVMOON
Kubica has been flawless this season, after underperforming in 2007. He drove brilliant laps to make up time in Canada, under very tough conditions, no mistakes. Alonso was all over the track last year. It would be interesting to see Kubica under pressure from a teammate, but I think right now he is the best driver in F1.
No, KennethO, same rules, different circumstances. I can't believe that there is still debate over the circumstances.
Monaco was a racing accident, Montreal was failing to observe a red light in the pit lane.
To Bernie: I didn't see Alonso 'blow away' Hamilton in THE SAME CAR last year - chances are that Alonso (the biggest whiner in F1) cost LH the championship
To Davemorley27: Kimi cost Sutil his points in Monaco (or is there different set of rules for Kimi and LH)?
To Nappyhappy: Answer for Bernie, because (as usual) I think you have the facts upside down.
"Everyone makes mistakes," the 55-year-old underlined, speaking to German news agency DPA, "and in Canada he paid the price.
???
Funny, I'd have said Kimi paid the price
Yes, I think: Kubica is the best in F1... Alonso is nr. 2... It's very easy to see...
It had to happen, best thing since sliced bread last year, now getting a kicking at every opportunity. Just goes to show how fickle and biased some motor racing enthusiasts are. Even Bernie, who has made a fortune so big most of us can't even comprehend, out of F1.
Finally someone telling it how it really is, and none other than the owner himself. Put LH in a renault and he'd be doing worse than Nelson Piquet Jr.!! Norbert Haug also made a good comment that he didn't need any motivation pills.....his arrogance is famous not only around the paddock but around the entire world! If F1 cars were allotted according to talent, LH would surely struggle to get a seat in a Force India car!!
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