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#49904
Hamilton feeling heat of F1 fight - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... 460530.stm

Hamilton will start way down the grid at the weekend in France

Lewis Hamilton says he is struggling to deal with the pressure of bidding to win the Formula One title.

The McLaren driver's remarks come after he was hit with a 10-place grid penalty for crashing into title rival Kimi Raikkonen in the pits in the last race. "The sport is fun, but there's a way you have to learn to enjoy it," he said in an interview with BBC Sport.

"There's so much pressure, and I can't begin to explain how much pressure I have on my shoulders."

Hamilton lost the world championship lead to BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica following his error in Canada on 8 June, and heads into this weekend's French Grand Prix knowing he is likely to lose more ground.

The penalty means winning at Magny-Cours will be almost impossible - he will be moved 10 places back on the starting grid from wherever he qualifies.

The French track is also expected to favour Ferrari, whose drivers Raikkonen and Felipe Massa are considered more serious title rivals than Kubica, whose position owes much to consistency in a car that is not as fast as those of the top two teams.

If you lose the British Grand Prix, F1 won't be the same

Lewis Hamilton
"I put a lot of pressure on myself, and when you don't succeed it doesn't feel so great," Hamilton said.

"But these are character-building days and the days that make you stronger.

"I didn't win the last race but I'm loving this. I get to come back here, work with the guys and push forward, and there's a great atmosphere, always pushing to get better and I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm really enjoying myself."

It is the second time within a few days that Hamilton has talked of the pressures of F1.

Over the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, he admitted that his mistakes in the early-season races in Malaysia and Bahrain came because "I put a lot of pressure on myself. Too much. And that led to mistakes, being too on the limit. I wasn't really enjoying it, to be honest."

Hamilton added in his interview with BBC Radio 5 Live commentator David Croft that he was looking forward to the British Grand Prix in two weeks' time, a race he felt he had a strong chance of winning.

And he said F1 would be poorer if it fails to secure the future of the race at Silverstone.

Silverstone's contract to host the race runs out next year, and the track is in negotiations with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone over a new deal, but Ecclestone has said that he does not believe the track can afford it.


Hamilton's error in Canada handed victory and the championship lead to Kubica
Hamilton said: "You can't lose this circuit. It's got real character and class and it's been around for years. If you lose it, F1 won't be the same."

Hamilton said he would do what he could to safeguard the race's future.

"I don't get involved in the politics, but anything I can do to help [the British Grand Prix], I will," Hamilton said.

"I feel the business is getting stronger and stands a stronger chance of saving it."

Silverstone was last month given planning permission for a major redevelopment of the circuit that Ecclestone has made a requirement for the race getting any new contract.

But the race's future is up in the air because of the pressure on Ecclestone from countries that want to host races and can afford to pay more than Silverstone.

The vast majority of Grands Prix are funded by governments, who see the events as a way of promoting their country's worldwide.

Silverstone's owner the British Racing Drivers' Club gets no financial aid from the UK government and has to fund the race through ticket sales.

Ecclestone is reported to be asking for a contract that demands £11.2m to host the race in 2010, with the price going up by 5% a year after that. The last contract was reportedly at an initial £6.2m, with the same 5% escalator.

At the same time, one the of the British Grand Prix's protections has been removed by the failure of the F1 teams, Ecclestone and governing body the FIA to agree a new Concorde Agreement, the sport's constitution.

The British Grand Prix was one of four "historic" events which were guaranteed under the Concorde Agreement - the others being the Monaco, French and Italian races.


If you go to the site, there is a video interview with him. He makes alotof good points bout Silverstone, they need to get that concorde agreement set out soonish. Screw Max he won't be around much longer.

Its amazing how he now feels the pressure, sharp contrast to his Rookie year when the pressure was off him. Mind you he felt the pressure at the end of last year and imploded.
#49960
Well of course he'll feel the pressure. He's under more pressure than any of the other drivers and STILL people just give him a hard time and expect him to always do the right thing at the right time 100% :bouncy2:
Give him a break eh!
#49962
Well of course he'll feel the pressure. He's under more pressure than any of the other drivers and STILL people just give him a hard time and expect him to always do the right thing at the right time 100% :bouncy2:
Give him a break eh!


He isn't feeling anymore pressure than say Kimi or Kubica is. They don't say anything bout it.
Last edited by EwanM on 18 Jun 08, 17:44, edited 1 time in total.
#49968
Hamilton added in his interview with BBC Radio 5 Live commentator David Croft that he was looking forward to the British Grand Prix in two weeks' time, a race he felt he had a strong chance of winning.

And he said F1 would be poorer if it fails to secure the future of the race at Silverstone.

Silverstone's contract to host the race runs out next year, and the track is in negotiations with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone over a new deal, but Ecclestone has said that he does not believe the track can afford it.


Hamilton's error in Canada handed victory and the championship lead to Kubica
Hamilton said: "You can't lose this circuit. It's got real character and class and it's been around for years. If you lose it, F1 won't be the same."

Hamilton said he would do what he could to safeguard the race's future.

"I don't get involved in the politics, but anything I can do to help [the British Grand Prix], I will," Hamilton said.


What's with the completely out of context remark in the middle of that?
#49970
Hamilton added in his interview with BBC Radio 5 Live commentator David Croft that he was looking forward to the British Grand Prix in two weeks' time, a race he felt he had a strong chance of winning.

And he said F1 would be poorer if it fails to secure the future of the race at Silverstone.

Silverstone's contract to host the race runs out next year, and the track is in negotiations with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone over a new deal, but Ecclestone has said that he does not believe the track can afford it.


Hamilton's error in Canada handed victory and the championship lead to Kubica
Hamilton said: "You can't lose this circuit. It's got real character and class and it's been around for years. If you lose it, F1 won't be the same."

Hamilton said he would do what he could to safeguard the race's future.

"I don't get involved in the politics, but anything I can do to help [the British Grand Prix], I will," Hamilton said.


What's with the completely out of context remark in the middle of that?


I dno maybe thts a caption for a picture?
#49980
He sounds like he's starting to crack a bit. He needs to chill out and try and be more like his own self from last year. Mind you that is easier said than done.
#49981
:deadhorse:

He needs to downsize his head size and get on with his job, hes only still a rookie, he needs to remember that


Exactly, he can work wonders to keep Silverstone, but he's not the only one who has a country behind him wanting their driver to bring home the title. If he can'thandle the pressure... he'll never be champ.

Yeah I dno it's weird with Lewis, we seen it at the end of last year, and he seemed to crack in the pits in Montreal...
#49987
[#Yeah I dno it's weird with Lewis, we seen it at the end of last year, and he seemed to crack in the pits in Montreal...

Mansell used to have pit problems, more specifically at Estoril, he was leading comfortably in 1989 when he came into the pits and drove straight past his pitbox, reversed in, got disqualified and then banned for ignoring the black flag whilst instead trying to pass Senna and both of them in the gravel.

Then in 1991 he was leading again, didn't mess up his pitstop but then when he was released a wheel fell off, the pit mechanics put it back on but in the middle of the pit road. Mansell attempts to fight back up through the field and gets black flagged again.
#49990
[#Yeah I dno it's weird with Lewis, we seen it at the end of last year, and he seemed to crack in the pits in Montreal...

Mansell used to have pit problems, more specifically at Estoril, he was leading comfortably in 1989 when he came into the pits and drove straight past his pitbox, reversed in, got disqualified and then banned for ignoring the black flag whilst instead trying to pass Senna and both of them in the gravel.

Then in 1991 he was leading again, didn't mess up his pitstop but then when he was released a wheel fell off, the pit mechanics put it back on but in the middle of the pit road. Mansell attempts to fight back up through the field and gets black flagged again.


Aye, Estoril, that was funny tho, cause he went and took Senna out whilst being black flagged.
#50004
Well of course he'll feel the pressure. He's under more pressure than any of the other drivers and STILL people just give him a hard time and expect him to always do the right thing at the right time 100% :bouncy2:
Give him a break eh!


Explain how, perhaps?

I don't see him as being under any more pressure than his main rivals...
#50014
I agree. I don't really think Hamilton is under much more pressure than, say, Raikkonen, externally at least. If Hamilton is putting pressure on himself, then he needs to learn to relax slightly, but not enough, of course, to compromise his racing performance. The pressure is always tough at the top level of any profession, and Hamilton will have to learn to deal with it. That will come with a team that protects him, Hamilton's own close counsel, and experience.
#50022
Well of course he'll feel the pressure. He's under more pressure than any of the other drivers and STILL people just give him a hard time and expect him to always do the right thing at the right time 100% :bouncy2:
Give him a break eh!


Explain how, perhaps?

I don't see him as being under any more pressure than his main rivals...


Kimi is v experienced (How many seasons?) he's handled pressure before. He has a championship behind him and is not particularly bothered whether he stays in F1.

Last year Lewis was a rookie with no expectations on him other than to bring the car home reasonabley close to Alonso. He way exceeded these expectations and in doing so set the whole of Britain expecting, the media gone wild and other folk pissed of and trying to find fault with him. He now has huge expectations on him and he is little more than a rookie.

Kubica is in the position Lewis was in last year. He can only do good.He is in a marginally inferior car and when he mixes it with the big boys gets browny points, when he doesn't, well the car isnt quite there.

Heikki is too far back to contend and so is out of the pressure, the problems have not been of his making so he is not under any threat because of them.
Felipe-closest to hamilton on the pressure front i think, but I still dont think so intensely.There are two ferrari drivers in the title hunt, if one stuffs up he becomes the supporter and in some ways makes Ferrari's life easier.
So there you have it....my reasons for my comments :judge:
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