The Hamilton hype-ometer reloaded

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Steve Ryder welcomed ITV’s viewers to the coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix:

We make no apologies if our race build-up is dominated by Lewis Hamilton because F1 itself is dominated by Lewis Hamilton

The hype-ometer has gone into overdrive following the British star’s maiden pole position – with one newspaper even claiming he’s “about to quit McLaren.

“Lewis quit warning” is the sensational headline on the Daily Mirror. “Lewis Hamilton warned he will quit Vodafone McLaren if he is ever regarded as a No.2 driver.”

And where is the quote to back up this bold statement? Down in paragraph nine we find: “I hate the situation Rubens [Barrichello] was in [i.e. at Ferrari]… If that was ever the case for me I would not be there much longer.”

That’s a long way away from a threat to quit McLaren. But that won’t stop the tabloids trying to pretend Ron Dennis is the bogeyman. From the same piece:

“Several promising futures have been shipwrecked on an agreement to play second fiddle to another driver, among them the talent of David Coulthard while he was at McLaren with Mika Hakkinen.” No, Coulthard just wasn’t quick enough.

Do you see Coulthard criticising McLaren’s management of Hamilton? Read his words from earlier this week:

The British media clearly felt Lewis had been hard done by. They have given the media a potential British world champion this year. So don’t turn around and make McLaren out to be the big bad racing team screwing the nice British driver.

And where did he write those words? On ITV-F1.com.

Perhaps ITV’s reporters should read their own website.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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3 comments on “The Hamilton hype-ometer reloaded”

  1. I always thought rookie drivers should be considered #2, especially when #1 is Alsonso.

  2. Hamilton is a #2 driver because Alonso is a double world champion, next year it may be reversed though!!

  3. After yesterday, I think Hamilton has now fallen off the red end of the hype-ometer. Either that or it’s made of elastic…

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