Shortly before second practice began this afternoon, Jason Swales, the producer of BBC Radio 5 Live’s F1 programme, received a message from Mark Webber. He urgently wanted to be interviewed. F1 being the secretive business it is, and F1 drivers usually preferring to speak only when spoken to, this was unexpected.
Not even Webber, the most quotable and approachable of drivers, had been known to push himself forward in this manner.
When pit lane reporter Holly Samos got to Webber just before he climbed aboard his Red Bull, the Australian came straight to the point. He wanted to deny a quote attributed to him in a British newspaper this morning which read: “‘He’ll kill someone – Lewis Hamilton’s style is too dangerous’, says Mark Webber.”
Reading the actual quote, Webber had been critical of Hamilton’s driving. But he had been expressing concern about cars touching during a first lap scramble. He was referring to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 2000 when a flying wheel from a Jordan killed a marshal (who had actually been standing in the wrong place in order to get a closer view of the action).
At no point had Webber used the word ‘kill’ or come close to the interpretation chosen by the British tabloid. Webber had introduced the Monza incident to the conversation but he was angry that his words had been taken out of context.
Either way, it was an unfortunate reflection of Hamilton’s eventful start to last Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. Hamilton didn’t actually make contact with another car, although several left the road briefly as a result of his aggressive move. But the incident was enough to provide ammunition for Hamilton’s detractors, several F1 drivers among them.
That should be no surprise, of course. Racing drivers are deeply competitive and, whether they admit it or not, resent a young driver coming in and rapidly becoming a superstar on their patch.
When Hamilton was nominated for the Thursday FIA press conference, along with Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Robert Kubica, he knew he was in for a difficult time. And so it turned out.
While there was no direct criticism, Hamilton was definitely the odd-man out as the other three, usually led by Alonso, engaged in winks and nudges and muttered conversations when Hamilton was speaking.
At one point, when asked a pointed question from the floor about who he would like to see win the championship, Alonso said his good friend Kubica, and then Massa. It was part of a game, and Jenson Button summed it up best.
‘Alonso was only saying that because he wants a reaction,’ said Button. ‘He’s not in the championship, so he just wants a bit of action. Quite comical, really.’
That’s probably true. It’s a pity the same could not be said about the emotive interpretation put on Webber’s words.
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
Tom commented on this article
Sunday October 19, 2008 at 9:17 am
Hamilton should paint his car red then there would be no problem with the FIA.
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BIgDavE commented on this article
Sunday October 19, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I aint being funny but spamilton is the best because of the seat beneath him. Put another driver in that car and see them perform, and as for yes men Kovalainen is defo one of them. Thats all maclaren wanted for that second seat was a yes man and thats why alonso was forced out cause he wouldnt back down to spamilton.
I fear that spamilton has taken this championship now and it sickens me to think of his mug all over the screen for the next year, over inflating his head more than it already is.
If he had had to start his F1 career like most others in a mediocre car he would be a no-one. But he was carried by maclaren all the way through and this is the only reason he is where he is. So as for all you massa haters at least he wasnt carried like a baby all the way through his career, he earned the seat he is in, the proper way.
So even though that muppet, uncle ron and his puppet father are a lot closer to their first championship, its only because of the ferrari team and nothing to do with massa natural ability as a F1 driver. I will be praying every night for the next two weeks for Spamilton to crash out in brazil and the real deserved winner of 2008, Massa to win in his home ground.
GO MASSA!!!!!
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Sepang Man commented on this article
Sunday October 19, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Yes.. massa will win absolutely no doubt .
and surely with FIA interfere indeed.
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chunky commented on this article
Sunday October 19, 2008 at 3:14 pm
It’s a sad reflection on Formula One when, with two races to an undecided championship, the only headlines are invented.
Lewis Hamilton sliding the car, on what looks like the limit of control, is one of the few reasons left to watch. the so-called races. It’s his style, and the car will be set up to cope with it. Lewis is the best of an average bunch and can only be measured against the people competing against him. Though he’s not really proven himself yet (Good in the rain is not the same as being stuck with one gear and finishing second. At the moment he’s Jean Alesi but wheel to wheel with Boemi at 200mph for the title, we’ll see) he is a racer and has the makings of a multiple world champion.
Yet the championship desperately needs more characters like Alonso, if only Lewis and others would answer him back it would add a bit of spice to a bland, formulaic two hour tyre commercial where it is seen fit to criticize the current point leader’s exciting method of driving.
Bring on Vettel and Bruno!
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DaMan commented on this article
Monday October 20, 2008 at 1:55 am
Lewis Hamilton IS great!!! All you who can’t stand his success are petulant and arrogant beyond belief. Check the facts you clowns! He is better at this stage of his career than anyone in the history of the sport! Maybe some of you dimwits and the rest of those jealous drivers on the grid who have been shown the way by the ‘newcomer’ would like some cheese with your whine! LOL…”Spit in the sky, it will fall in your eye.”
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mabes commented on this article
Monday October 20, 2008 at 11:06 am
Lewis is a young kid, of course he is going to be agresive he wants to make a name for himself. Some of the older drivers just need to stop holding on to it. Mark Webber didnt badmouth lewis it was just the press blowing things out of proportion again like so many other times total crap.
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craggles commented on this article
Monday October 20, 2008 at 12:01 pm
if you look at last year, then you’d see hamilton and alonso overall are as good as each other, no denying it. but, because of his attitude, alonso moved back to a team that isn’t as good and has suffered for it. mclaren have never quite been up to the same standard as ferrari ever since the Hakkinen era, so it is a testament to Hamilton’s skill that he is able to regularly beat them. sure, Hamilton is very aggressive, but he isn’t stupid. yes, he’s made mistakes, but that is to be expected of a youngster with such talent. look at Schumacher. he never grew up in that sense. i’d much rather see a race full of aggressive overtaking and near-misses than a race where everyone holds back and waits for the pits.
and he’s british. we should all be supporting him, regardless of what wwe think of him. no-one ever thought henman would win wimbledon, but every year we got behind him
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INGRF1 commented on this article
Monday October 20, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Instead of arguing if he drives well, why dont we just kill him?
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Big Ben of Britain commented on this article
Tuesday October 21, 2008 at 1:14 am
INGRF1 you are an ass. why comment like that. Lewis is a superb driver he has raw talent. just what the f1 series needs nowadays. now you go home and live in your sad dream world. Bet you cant even drive lol
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другое commented on this article
Friday February 12, 2010 at 6:37 pm
На данном варезнике вы можете просто и бесплатно скачать наши фильмы и всё это бесплатно и без регистрации.
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