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[7UpJordan]

Hamilton backstabbing? If he wanted to do that he would have been the one blocking Alonso in the pitlane or threatening to tell Mad Max about the Spygate affair.

[racechick]

Thanks 7up.

[McLaren Fan]

He doesnt have to love them he has to drive for them and win for them.

I agree. I don't care whether or not he loves McLaren, and McLaren themselves don't care: they want the best driver. Why does Hamilton feel he has to go around claiming Ron Dennis as father, and why does he have to declare his passion for McLaren when he really doesn't give a toss who he drives for. The fact is Hamilton is using his media training, paid for McLaren, for what it's worth, to manipulate matters in his favour. That's exactly why people such as yourself think he's an angel and that's exactly why Alonso was made out to be the snake in the grass last season when it takes two to tango. Hamilton is a fast driver, whether he's an all-round driver, I'm not sure yet, but running a team is also about trust, and I wouldn't trust Hamilton as far as I could throw him, so I'm not sure I would want him driving for my team. Schumacher, who you love to hate, may have been a lot of things, but you always knew where you stood. He was not a snake in the grass.

[racechick]

No not a snake in the grass, an outright cheat. You knew you'd likely get shafted.
I dont think Lewis is an angel. I think he is an excellent driver. I like to watch him race not take part in personality contests.

[McLaren Fan]

No not a snake in the grass, an outright cheat. You knew you'd likely get shafted.
I dont think Lewis is an angel. I think he is an excellent driver. I like to watch him race not take part in personality contests.

Well, personality, looks and charm are part of how he operates. Get used to it. As far Schumacher, he made a few head staggers on the track, but his team knew what he was about, he gave everything to his teams, and he never belittled his team in public or went behind their backs. Hamilton has done all of these, behaving immorally towards the team that has bankrolled his career, and invested a lot of time and emotion in his career.

[dant]

Im sure i read somewhere that Hamilton will be earining about £800k a race this season, dont know how much truth there is to that though.

Aye. Hamilton is on quite a bit this season. After last season, he and his dad were shouting the odds at Ron Dennis, demanding a massive pay rise, even though McLaren gave him everything he has, that he is not in Formula One for the money and glamour, oh and his undying love for McLaren. Hamilton's current deal is £70 million over five seasons (so, from 2008 inclusive), which works out at £13.7 a season. Those figures are just what he gets from racing. I daresay Hamilton's advertising deals etc. are worth a few quid.

Im not being funny though.
But i think he is well within his rights to demand so much, other top drivers will be earning just as much so why shouldn't he.

Its like The Steven Gerrard saga for Liverpool a few years ago when he handed in a transfer request becuase they were holding out on a £100k a week deal, all the fans were calling him greedy saying he should just accept the offer that was made because of his love for the club, fair enough but if somebody who is the same caliber as you is getting paid twice as much, why wouldn't you demand the same as them.

[7UpJordan]

McLaren Fan I really can't understand why you think that because Lewis is earning so much he doesn't give 2 hoots about what he does at McLaren. If Ron wasn't happy about it he could have given Lewis the cold shoulder like he supposedly did with Alonso.

Sure, earning so much and giving no regard for what you do is what happens to certain stuck-up Premiership footballers who moan about not being able to afford houses in London when they earn well over £100,000 a week for playing some of the most boring football ever, but unlike them Lewis isn't an overhyped prima-donna. Sure he likes his "bling" but that's what he likes. Ron wouldn't have shown so much emotion in Melbourne after the perfect start to the season with him if he didn't approve of the situation between himself and Lewis.

Also remember the way ITV showed Lewis walking around the McLaren garage in the race buildup shaking everybody's hand and showing his appreciation, if he didn't care about his team he wouldn't be doing that. I don't think that's changed one bit even though we don't get to see it (probably because McLaren put a restraining order on Steve and Mark poking around outside Hamilton's garage at every race).

About Lewis saying how much he loves Ron Dennis, how do you know he's not telling the truth? I know some drivers tend to say what their team's PR department tells them to say these days, but Hamilton is only showing how much he respects Ron and how grateful he is for where he is today. He has also stated he wants to be at McLaren for life.

And also when Ron wasn't happy about when Lewis almost signed for Williams a few years ago, that wasn't Lewis who broke that story, it was Patrick Head. Plus Ron had tried to lure Rosberg away from Williams, and Sir Frank said "hands off". That just shows there is still some rivalry between Ron and Sir Frank even though they have shown more respect for each other over the past couple of years.

[racechick]

No not a snake in the grass, an outright cheat. You knew you'd likely get shafted.
I dont think Lewis is an angel. I think he is an excellent driver. I like to watch him race not take part in personality contests.

Well, personality, looks and charm are part of how he operates. Get used to it. As far Schumacher, he made a few head staggers on the track, but his team knew what he was about, he gave everything to his teams, and he never belittled his team in public or went behind their backs. Hamilton has done all of these, behaving immorally towards the team that has bankrolled his career, and invested a lot of time and emotion in his career.

When has Lewis behaved immorally?? Not getting him mixed up with Max are you
Ron is not naive. He is a highly successful business man.When he saw lewis as a 13 year old he saw a phenomenal talent and he tried an experiment. He did not see a cute little boy that he wanted for his son. If it worked he would have a stunning driver who would be wanted by other teams if it didnt work lewis would be out. Both knew the deal. I think Lewis wants to stay at McLaren, he hasnt looked anywhere else, didnt negotiate with other teams last season and boy could he have done!!He wants market value salary of course but wants it at McLaren. Ron and Lewis have a healthy respect for each other. Ron has one of the best and certainly the most marketable driver and lewis gets to drive for one of the best two teams. Both gain. Lewis' manager used williams to move his career forward faster. Ron would have dropped lewis if he didnt deliver. Im sure Ron and Lewis feel more than just business partners but it IS a business and both have to protect their own interests. Ron poachers drivers and Ron has had plenty of drivers switch teams from mclaren. He did not take lewis on out of kindness (and i dont mean he is not kind when i say that, he would be a fool to make desicions on that basis and he is no fool)

[Rivelution]

More race wins. Lewis finished ahead.

Technically speaking, they tied. I'm just yanking your chain racechick, like DD says or whoever says that.

[McLaren Fan]

I don't mind Hamilton receiving a large salary, but the way in which he went and his father (who seems to be living his own dreams through his son) was pretty disgraceful. Hamilton wanting to leave for Williams was equally disreputable. Hamilton is not that different from Alonso. He is prepared to do anything to maximise his position. He has shown a number of times that his love for McLaren and Ron Dennis can easily be waived when he wants something. For those reasons, I don't trust him.

[racechick]

More race wins. Lewis finished ahead.

Technically speaking, they tied. I'm just yanking your chain racechick, like DD says or whoever says that.

You bad lad. Its easy to yank my cahin

[austin62]

I think he is making about 1.2 mil of euro per year at this point

[8-ball]

I don't mind Hamilton receiving a large salary, but the way in which he went and his father (who seems to be living his own dreams through his son) was pretty disgraceful. Hamilton wanting to leave for Williams was equally disreputable. Hamilton is not that different from Alonso. He is prepared to do anything to maximise his position. He has shown a number of times that his love for McLaren and Ron Dennis can easily be waived when he wants something. For those reasons, I don't trust him.

The partnership between Lewis and Ron is two way. Lewis wanted to leave for Williams probably because he felt that Ron wasn't holding up his end of the bargain. I fault no man for wanting to be a champion and doing whatever is necessary (within reason) to win. I'm sure Senna would have been quite happy to dump the Mclaren team and go somewhere else if it meant he would win more titles.

[EwanM]

Can you not stop getting at Hamilton on every thread! He beat Alonso last year and if mcLaren didnt pay him the going market rate plenty other teams would have done. Perhaps Lewis should have just stayed on last years salary out of gratitude
I think F1 salaries for a top driver are obscenly huge, but its what they are.

Hamilton owes McLaren, well, his career, basically. That he has been prepared to shaft the team makes me furious and cringe when he remarks about how much he loves McLaren and Ron Dennis. Hamilton is a carpetbagger and is the sort of person who would smile at you whilst sticking a knife into you. Anna, you are just a typical British citizen - the sort who bums up their country's sportsmen and women and is completely blind to their faults.

LOL, Yeah like when he went a little daytrip with his dad to see Patrick Head and Sir Frank.

[EwanM]

I don't mind Hamilton receiving a large salary, but the way in which he went and his father (who seems to be living his own dreams through his son) was pretty disgraceful. Hamilton wanting to leave for Williams was equally disreputable. Hamilton is not that different from Alonso. He is prepared to do anything to maximise his position. He has shown a number of times that his love for McLaren and Ron Dennis can easily be waived when he wants something. For those reasons, I don't trust him.

Hamilton doesn't really seem to come across as honest, in comparison to say Hill and Mansell, who captured the nations support but then didn't try to act like P Diddy.