Hamilton rejects talk of pressure from Button

F1 Fanatic round-up

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In the round-up: Lewis Hamilton rejects Martin Whitmarsh’s claim that Jenson Button has put him under pressure.

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Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:

Lewis Hamilton rejects Button pressure claim as ‘rubbish’ (BBC)

“Whitmarsh said after the last race in India that the 2008 champion was ‘feeling under pressure’ from Button, but Hamilton said that was not true. ‘He made some comments which I disagree with,’ said Hamilton. ‘It’s rubbish.'”

Schumacher to wait to decide on future (Autosport)

“‘In the end yes there will be something, but most important – do I feel it? Do I want it or not?’ he said about the factors that will influence his choice. ‘That is something we will find out in the future. Not right now.'”

Ron Howard’s ‘Rush’ racks up sales (Variety)

“Exclusive Media Group announced Wednesday, the final day of the American Film Market, that it had sold the pic to distributors for 30 markets including Alliance Films for Canada, Aurum for Spain, Universum/RTL for Germany, E1 for Australia and New Zealand, MisLabel for Scandinavia and Independent in Benelux. Variety reported Monday that StudioCanal had picked up UK rights.”

Jenson Button via Twitter

“Headline grabbers sell papers, it’s just a pity I didn’t say it!”

Robert Wickens via Twitter

“Everything is all set for tomorrow. Really excited! At the hotel now and really looking forward for tomorrow.”

Adrian Sutil Q&A: I hope future is decided soon (F1)

“In the end we do not know whether Rubens [Barrichello] really plans to retire. I have heard that Kimi [Raikkonen] wants to come back, but there’s’ also a question about whether a team wants to take the risk of bringing somebody back who was hasn’t driven for two years. We will be surprised over the next couple of weeks.”

Rubens Barrichello: “I just have to wait and see…” (Adam Cooper)

“I’m just waiting for people to call. The only thing I have in mind is the year that I’m going to have ahead. I’m thinking like I did in 2008, just positive. I might go to the Brazilian Grand Prix without any confirmation or without anything, but I’m not saying goodbye to my fans. I want to be there next year.”

Abu Dhabi GP – Conference 1 (FIA)

Sebastien Buemi: “I think it’s good to try some new circuits, some new countries to visit. I think it’s definitely a positive to come to these races and I think what we experience here is completely different. It’s the best infrastructure in the world and it’s definitely quite nice to be racing here, starting the race when it’s still daylight and then we finish in the dark. I definitely think it’s a positive.”

F1 Fanatic via Twitter

“Three cheers for Romain Grosjean speaking his mind: ‘The track I’m not a big fan of. Too much slow corners from my point of view.'”

Indian GP success boosts IPL-style league (Reuters)

“Styled on the IPL’s popular city-based model, franchises have to pay $20 million for a period of 15 years for owning a team. The league’s promoters, Machdar Motorsports, said most of the teams had already been paid for.”

Ecclestone: I was victim of ‘shakedown’ (FT, registration required)

“Bernie Ecclestone said it would have been a ‘waste of time’ to report his allegations that he was the victim of what he called a ‘shakedown’ by a German banker accused of corruption.”

Mika Hakkinen prepares for race comeback in Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 (F1 Fanatic on YouTube)

Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.

Comment of the day

Alain thinks Nico Rosberg’s new Mercedes deal is the right move:

This is good both for Mercedes and Nico, he is learning a lot from Michael and he is doing some great races, each season he is a better driver and I am sure he can win GPs and championships, though he hasn’t the “killer instinct” that Michael has.

If Michael is now racing better than Nico is not because Nico isn’t so good, it’s simply because Michael is recovering part of his old pace, and don’t forget it, with 25-30 years Michael would beat the rest of the drivers without any doubt. So the driver who beats Nico is Michael, not a simply good driver.

Moreover, Mercedes is building a solid project and Michael won’t be in F1 beyond 2013 so then Nico will be the absolute leader of the team, and this is not going to happen if he goes to Ferrari.
Alain

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On this day in F1

Renault were among the teams lobbying for the equalisation of engine power three years ago today – a request that did not find favour with F1 Fanatic readers.

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Keith Collantine
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60 comments on “Hamilton rejects talk of pressure from Button”

  1. For some reason I read Jeremy instead of Howard

  2. hakkinen seems like a great guy.

  3. I think that Hamilton was a little rude with Martin W., after all he was trying to defend him…

    1. @celeste It was a statement that was going to be made sooner or later. I don’t blame Whitmarsh for saying it nor Hamilton for defending it.

    2. @celeste. Rude? not in my book. Whitmarsh is in F1 long enough to know that saying a team mate was feeling pressure from the other teammate is a no no. I think it was actually MW that was rude. He must surely know that would elicit a response from Lewis.

      1. Its gamesmanship. Martin knows it will get Lewis’s blood up hearing that sort of thing and Lewis will want to take a swipe at that comment by responding on track with a good result. Big tick in the “job done” box for Martin and big tick in the “sort driver out” box for Martin too.

        Martin is as shrewd as they come and he has known Lewis long enough to be able to push his buttons. It’s Martin’s job to get his drivers to perform and I think this comment was designed purely to reignite the fire in Hamilton. It’s tough love mixed with a sense of duty and it takes strength of character to do it.

        Martin Whitmarsh imho is an absolute gent, an out and out racer and an all round good egg. He only has Lewis’s interests at heart I’m sure.

        1. @coefficient Of course he does. Hamilton has under-performed this season, simple as. Hamilton is only human and he is of course, allowed to under-perform (to a reasonable extent) but he shouldn’t expect anything less than a kick up the backside.

        2. @coefficient You might be right and you may also be wrong as there is no scientific way to know for sure what Whitmarsh intended with his statement. his statement could be intended to put more pressure on Lewis to yet again overdo it. so we can never know. interpretation is subjective.

      2. @andrewtanner @coefficient My problem with Hamilton declarations is that he actually called “rubish”, that was too much. Just with this:

        ‘He made some comments which I disagree with”

        was enough…

        1. @celeste Hamilton knew he would get away with it. Besides, it’s great PR!

          1. @andrewtanner no, if you work on the PR department where I work… You will get fired… But then again this is F1 so…

          2. @celeste Exactly. This is a sport.

    3. Hamilton said a lot of things in that interview, and all but one were negative, and most of which were more interesting, including comments about his personal support in the garage.

      Notably, here, as always, Button receives great and unsolicited praise from Hamilton.

      As for the “rubbish” comments, Hamilton does not work in the McLaren mail room. He is free to speak.

    4. Rubbish is rubbish and it doesn’t matter whose mouth it comes from. Hamilton is a man and can stand on his own 2 feet and doesn’t need someone five feet away to make a stupid assumpton when he could have simply asked.
      I could also bet you that “rubbish”is just the journalist’s interpretation of Lewis’ comments, as lately journalists forever hears words that are never said.

  4. The SLS AMG GT3 is perhaps one of the greatest looking racing machines of all time.

    1. Sounds fantastic too. I saw one in red coming home the other day. I almost hit the car in front of me craning my neck to look.

  5. I can’t see rush being anything other than a joke.

    … Gotta feel sorry for Rubens. I hope he is in F1 next year, he deserves it.

    1. I think I feel sorry for Lewis. He is obviously having a hard time and it’s not nice to see.

      What he needs is someone like a manager to help him take control of his life off the track more so than on. I don’t think his Hollywood manager has the capacity or is willing to do that.

      What he needs now is real friends, and being a star F1 driver is going to make it that much harder to find them.

      I personally think he needs his family. And I suspect if he swallowed his pride and went back to them things would work out.

    2. Why does Rubens deserve to be in F1 next year?

      His entire career has been lacklustre. Sure he is a really nice guy but being nice doesn’t get results.

      1. I agree with @Oblong_Cheese. Rubens career has been average at best, he had never stood out in a top team. He showed glimpses of great potential when he was at Jordan and Stewart, but his years with Ferrari and Honda/Brawn were average.

        He was not as fast as Michael nor Jenson. You can argue favouritism or team orders, he just wasnt as quick. Essentially, Rubinho is a nice guy who is a reliable driver, can bring the car home every race, and possibly score some points, he was never World Championship material.

        I think he’s been around the block too many times now, best to leave and let some new blood in.

        1. Indeed, we have Sutil for that now so a sad as it may be to see him go, its probably time.

          Horsing a dead fllog, or something like that anyway!

      2. I have mixed feelings about Rubens as a driver, there was a time when I automatically rooted for Schumacher’s team mate whoever it was, however he has been disappointing at times. Also, in the past few years his off-track statements have sometimes been a bit annoying and he seems to have lost some of the joy.

        However I hope the contracts are sorted in one way or another before Brazil. He’s been a big part of the sport for a long time and he deserves to know in advance if it’s his last race, so he can give his home fans a proper farewell. If he could finally get some luck at the circuit that would be even better!

  6. The most interesting thing for me, in that BBC article on Lewis, is him admitting he’s missing the bubble around him. I recall a lot of talk about this subject through the year but I don’t remember Lewis actually admitting he missed having those people.

    1. I found that very interesting exactly for the same reason. It was the first time he said publicly that he was missing something like that.

  7. There are reports flitting around that one of the four pre-season tests has been moved to mid-season, which is not exactly the return to in-season testing a lot of people had been asking for, but probably will help at least the better-resourced teams play catchup on the season’s leader.

    Also, it being at Mugello will probably help Ferrari.

    1. That was reported a while back already. The idea is, that it allows some tesing at the start of the “european season”, and the reason they do it at Mugello is because Ferrari agreed to make the track available for testing without charging to keep it cheap for the teams (see how keen Ferrari are on in season testing ;-) )

  8. I have heard that Kimi [Raikkonen] wants to come back, but there’s’ also a question about whether a team wants to take the risk of bringing somebody back who was hasn’t driven for two years

    I’d rather see Kimi or Schumi struggling, than you, matey!!!! :)

    1. but you do not own any team matey! :)

      1. @weebbt sadly! I’d sack Sutil in a minute :P!

  9. Distracted by all the 1’s in the url

    The last f1 round up was 1011

    So I assume it is not coincidence and you just wanted all the 1’s due to it being 11/11/11

    1. @mach1 No I couldn’t care less about the URL as long as it works.

    2. The final four digits of the URL are the day and month combined.
      1011= 10/11
      1111= 11/11

  10. just realised it is a repeat of the date – never the less lots of 1’s

  11. A happy birthday to Catalina and to Bernard. Nice date, hope it brings the both you a very happy day and party!

  12. In next 2 years Hamilton will leave McLaren for sure…

    1. Doubt it. They are capable of producing championship winning cars and I’m confident they will again.

    2. Why do you think so Sri?

      I think Hamilton makes it pretty clear, that the thing that needs changing currently is his personal surroundings and “support team” environment.

      1. But the rather chilled reaction to Whitmarsh’s words won’t endear him to the team, either.

        I think Lewis will stay, but only because there aren’t that many other seats available.

        1. @Journeyer I agree with you 100%. MW and LW are not the best of pals. there is a history between them dating back to when Lewis was driving in the lower Formulas and its not a good one. I doubt if most people know this history though

          1. Do enlighten us, then.

          2. @journeyer oh! yes! please! tell the story…

          3. @Keith Collantine. I’m sure you know the story re Lewis, his dad and Whitmarsch that could still be a factor in their relationship dynamics. the short version of it is that in Formula 3, Lewis wanted an F1 seat earlier i think at 18 or 19 years old but Whitmarsh was adamant that Lewis should not get to F1 before he was at least 21. There was an argument, Whitmarsh got angry and tore up Lewis contract in front of his dad and asked them to look for a drive elsewhere. They left and after 2 weeks, Ron calmed down the situation and had LH and his dad resigned to MacLaren. The rest is history as they say. There you go for those that perhaps dont know this story.

          4. @pking008

            What’s your source for this?

          5. @Keith Collantine. i’d besuprised if you dont know this aspect of the relationship already. there are slightly different versions of it but the core of it remains same. Whitmarsh in anger tore up Hamilton’s contract according to Whitmarsh himself. See source below: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/lewishamilton/7530814/Lewis-Hamilton-takes-his-own-counsel-after-boy-racer-stunt-in-Melbourne.html

    3. @Sri , you may be right, but the more important question in my opinion, is WHO will he go TO? Alonso won’t let him in at Ferrari, I don’t see him in a works Merc, so now you’re looking at partnering Senna or Kubica in a future Renault (Lotus by then of course)…

    4. I’m predicting Hamilton at Mercedes in 2013 when Schumi decides he’s had enough. I think there are a number of merc guys that probably know him, the team is British based and Ross Brawn would be the mentor that Hamilton dearly needs. Whitmarsh and Ham do not a good mix make.

      You heard it here first!

      1. @John H

        You heard it here first!

        Sorry, but for me this this is common sense. Mercedes is the only place where Lewis would have a friendly environment, mainly because of his relationship with Norbert Haug, who knows him well.

        And Nico is Lewis’s closest friend in F1. He would have a very friendly atmosphere there.

        1. Indeed it i common sense. But no one else has said it, but please prove me wrong.

      2. @john-h
        Good call…;)

    5. I think there could be something in this.

      If I’d made it to formula 1 I think I’d want to try a few teams! I’d definately want to have a stint at Mcalren, Ferrari and Williams just because it would be nice to have the full set.

      Also, loyalty is one thing, spending your entire career at a team that keeps coming up slightly short is another. He’d be daft to retire one day wondering “what if”.

      I’m a Mclaren fan, my copy of “Mclaren the Cars” is my prized posession, even more prized than my Gibson Les Paul!! Still, I have to suspect that a driver will understandably want to be in the best machine possible for the majority of his career so if he decides to move on fair play and good luck!

  13. I think Hamilton’s comments are “rubbish”. The first driver you want to beat in Formula 1 is your teammate. And if said teammate is currently beating you it means you can and or should do better (Unless you are Felipe Massa). That should give some pressure for a driver.

  14. He needs to get his dad back to being his manager, since they split its all been downhill. They worked together for his whole racing career and thats the only thing that has changed really – he should the bullet, fire Fuller and hire Hammy Snr

    1. *”bite the bullet”

  15. I think he just wants his Dad to be his Dad and I can understand that. I wouldn’t want my Dad negotiating my salary, picking my outfits and telling me where to be all the time. It would properly get my back up and sour the relationship. I know that even though I’d set my alarm for 6:30am, Dad would be there to wake me up at 6:25am just because he’d find it funny. There are plenty of anonymous motorsport managers that can handle that sort of thing, no need to jeopardise the family side of things. He could do worse than get Martin Brundle to manage him, he somehow managed to Keep Coulthard’s bum in a Mclaren for like, eons! Quite a feat!!

    1. Lol… your comment about dad being 5 mins early, priceless!

      Yeah well, Brundle may not get him the best salary, but is one of the respected gents around the paddock, and at the very least would get Lewis a meeting with most teams. Not that Lewis himself couldn’t do it, but Lewis could do so much worse than Brundle.

      Why would Lewis leave team Macca? Macca offered him a sheltered existence from lower rungs to F1 debut till when Button came along. Lewis definitely sees that he’s no longer the only apple of the eyes at Macca. As in, he’s no longer the number one driver.

      Where will he go? Ferrari may hire Lewis. They’ve shooed away Kimi, so don’t think they’d be too shy about hurting sentiments of Alonso. Red Bull may be another option, with Mark not doing so well, but car being as quick, as it is. Mercedes is perhaps the last option. Renault, they’ve not been the same since ’06 now…

  16. Lucas Alexander Munro
    11th November 2011, 18:07

    Keith & everyone, who would be Rosberg’s Merc team mate beyond 2012 when Schuey re-retires? I’ve drawn up a list.
    Nick Heidfeld, Paul Di Resta, Adrian Sutil & Nico Hulkenberg.

    1. I seriously can´t see whats so great about Di Resta, he had been beating by Sutil…

  17. I keep saying it, Withmarsh is Hamilton’s problem but Hamilton just hasn’t noticed yet.
    When his dad used to be in the garage, he made sure Hamilton got equal treatment, but now, Hamilton gets less than equal treatment but can’t see that because of his blind devotion.

    Destroying a driver to make the other look better.
    He has secceeded in restoring the status quo.
    Someone called Withmarsh a gentleman….hahaha.. Look into his eyes mate.

    1. Rubbish!

Comments are closed.