The Future Of Lewis Hamilton

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The future of Lewis Hamilton

Ron Dennis has admitted that GP2 driver Lewis Hamilton he is a possible candidate for an F1 drive with McLaren next year although Dennis said he is far too busy worrying about this year to be thinking about 2007 just yet.

Hiring a new boy in F1 would be a rare step for a team like McLaren although Williams has done so several times in recent years, notably with Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg. The logic behind such a move could be seen as financial as it saves a considerable amount of money as new drivers are happy to drive for very little while more experienced F1 men want large sums of cash. This year's wage bill at McLaren is in the region of $35m, while Fernando Alonso and Hamilton would save the team about $15m in addition to being an exciting new combination to attract more sponsorship.

McLaren, of course, is not a team that makes driver decisions based on money but if the engineers believe that Hamilton can come in and do as good a job (or better) than existing drivers, there is a great deal of logic in such a move.

Hamilton's performance in GP2 at the Nurburgring was hugely impressive with two dominant wins not simply against the opposition but also humiliating his own ART team mate Alexandre Premat, who has a year's more experience in the series. Given what has happened with Nico Rosberg at Williams, there is ample evidence to suggest that a top GP2 driver can - with sufficient winter testing - step straight into an F1 drive and show well.

www.grandprix.com

I think this makes sense. If they give him some tests and he proves to become fast after a few go's, I think signing him for a race seat makes perfect sense. They will save some $15m per season (which goes a long way in paying for extra engineers, R&D etc), its a marketers dream to have the first black guy in F1, and I think it is the only way new talent will get in these days as the farmer teams have now really been reduced to one (Midland), which again apparently does not want to have talented drivers paying for their seats. The no rookie policy of McLaren will have to go and I think FA will be a good mentor and idol for Lewis.

[Max Mosley 2]

Would be fantastic. A real baptism of fire for him but great opportunity to learn from the best.

[Null 0]

doubt it would be 2007, he'd have to get a test seat first and there aren't many going spare at McLaren. Don't forget, this was only ONE race weekend in the GP2 series, a lot can change. It's unfortunate that people are really missing the point that the top 3 drivers are seperated by 2 points. Lappierre could end up winning the championship. Who knows.

I've noticed a trend with you ctrl... we seem to agree on very little.

[Autumnpuma 0]

Interesting, but Kimi and Alonso will most likely be driving for McLaren in '07.

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doubt it would be 2007, he'd have to get a test seat first and there aren't many going spare at McLaren. Don't forget, this was only ONE race weekend in the GP2 series, a lot can change. It's unfortunate that people are really missing the point that the top 3 drivers are seperated by 2 points. Lappierre could end up winning the championship. Who knows.

I've noticed a trend with you ctrl... we seem to agree on very little.

I feel I agree to everything as long as it is fact and not fiction. The problem is that most (and at times even myself) are so bias that they refuse to listen to common sese, hence I dont agree. Also, as most people on this forum tend to be compulsive obsessive towards a driver and calls it a comeback or 'he is the greatest ever' or whatever drivel they produce in their moment of euphoria I tend to not agree.

BTW, so what if Lapierre or Piquet wins the championship, Lewis is still a great talent, and if he ends up gettig a seat at McLaren he has done so on merit and talent. But you are probably right in your observation that he is unlikely to get that last seat for 2007 (see, we agree already ).

[Max Mosley 2]

Interesting, but Kimi and Alonso will most likely be driving for McLaren in '07.

The one combination I would prefer to Hamilton and Alonso, as a spectator of course.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

It would be amazing, and he couldnt ask for a better team-mate to start against. Cos if Hamilton beats alonso in any race, Alonso will be showed up and Hamilton will be praised like he's the next F1 god.

But don't forget Heidfeld and Liuzzi were both extremely impressive in F3000 (now GP2) and no-one calls them the superstars of the future

[Null 0]

They're all superstars of the future when they first come into F1, then they slowly just become yet "another" F1 driver. It's unfortunate that some of the F3000 champs started out in terrible cars. Liuzzi only had 3 races last season and the car broke on him in one of those and as for Heidfeld... well, that prost! Alonso was lucky with his Renault test drive though, he wasn't really that great in the minardi.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

being managed by someone like flavio briatore certainly helps (referring to webber, trulli and alonso) and alonso had a free ticket into the team that happened to become the best within a couple of years of him arriving. Hamilton won't have that luxury and I'm not sure that mclaren backing will make any difference cos Heidfeld had mclaren backing and it didnt count for anything at all once he was in F1

[Null 0]

Yeah, that makes me wonder about Hamilton as Heidfeld was a very promising talent indeed and that was wasted away with years at sauber, prost and jordan because of his rubbish management. Hopefully Hamilton won't have the same problem, but I'm still dubious about whether his McLaren backing will follow through to F1.

You forgot to add massa to that list - the only reason he's in that ferrari is because he's managed by jean todts son.

[cavallino 2]

Massa is doing pretty much as well as Barrichello was so he is convenient, I cant think of anyone better they ould hav got for this year, most drivers had deals in place.

I would have liked to take a positive interest in LH, but he joined the dark side when he was 11

[nojvnof1 0]

Hamilton is the best prospect for the next British WDC IMO. I just hope the media don't heap too much pressure on him like they do with Button and just let him get on with the job. I can see him doing a similar thing to Nico i.e. Racing in GP2, having the odd test then really putting in the miles over the winter.

[busami 0]

Odds shorten on Hamilton promotion

The odds on Lewis Hamilton partnering Fernando Alonso at McLaren next season have shortened dramatically after Martin Whitmarsh, the team's chief executive officer, described his performance this weekend at the Nurburgring as "the most phenomenal performance I have ever seen in a GP2 race."

Hamilton won both GP2 races which supported Sunday's F1 grand prix, and Whitmarsh was effusive in his praise afterwards for the 21-year-old Briton.

"Lewis's performance in the Saturday race was the most phenomenal performance I have ever seen in a GP2 race," Whitmarsh told The Guardian. "If he continues like that he could decimate the entire field through the remainder of the year and this is doubly impressive when you consider that most of his strongest rivals are in their second year racing in the category. It was really outstanding stuff."

Alonso is already confirmed to join McLaren for 2007, but the team's second seat is set to become available with both their current drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Juan-Pablo Montoya, expected to leave at the end of the current campaign.

Even the normally taciturn Ron Dennis has began to publicly contemplate the prospect of Hamilton lining up alongside Alonso in 2007.

"It's not impossible," he admitted to The Times. "It is very early days and we have to see how his performances evolve, but our policy as a team has always been to look for good and available drivers and Lewis is a very good driver."

[clay 0]

id rather prefer a kimi- alonso match up. sort of a prost senna resemblance. even better if mclaren have the best car next year

[Null 0]

"Lewis's performance in the Saturday race was the most phenomenal performance I have ever seen in a GP2 race,"

Wouldn't say that.... but it was definatley on par with Nico's performance in bahrain (except Nico got pole so I guess that was slighlty better).

He is definatley the best prospect for a British F1 champion but who knows. He could come to F1 and do a button.... He definatley has a lot of pressure on him though and that's quite a shame.

I'd still like to see if he could do a rosberg if he ever gets a penalty and ends up the back of the grid for qualifying and charges through the field. If he can, that's something very special indeed.

[Kopite Girl 0]

Would be fantastic. A real baptism of fire for him but great opportunity to learn from the best.

Agreed.

[Autumnpuma 0]

"Lewis's performance in the Saturday race was the most phenomenal performance I have ever seen in a GP2 race,"

Wouldn't say that.... but it was definatley on par with Nico's performance in bahrain (except Nico got pole so I guess that was slighlty better).

He is definatley the best prospect for a British F1 champion but who knows. He could come to F1 and do a button.... He definatley has a lot of pressure on him though and that's quite a shame.

I'd still like to see if he could do a rosberg if he ever gets a penalty and ends up the back of the grid for qualifying and charges through the field. If he can, that's something very special indeed.

I'm damned annoyed that I haven't seen Hamilton race yet I will have to rectify that; he sounds pretty impressive. I would think that with the media's fixation on Button, Hamilton would have an easier time of it.

[nojvnof1 0]

I actually think that the media's fixation on Button is waning (apart from the obsession with him getting that first win) and the attention is slowly starting to shift towards Hamilton.

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I actually think that the media's fixation on Button is waning (apart from the obsession with him getting that first win) and the attention is slowly starting to shift towards Hamilton.

I think you are right in that observation. They mentioned it on last weekends BBC coverage as well. It's like the British media only has time for one golden boy and they feel that JB is currently on a road to nowhere and have become tired of his contstant excuses. They are now looking towards a Brit whom actually do win, Lewis. As I have said before, I think that if his performance is kept up (and not sabotaget by that Premat thug) and Kimi does not sign with McLaren that there is a possibility McLaren will buck under the media and sponsorship pressure and actually team him up with FA for 07. It will save them a massive amount in wages and give them more sponsorhip revenue and media coverage.

Back to JB, if he is to get back in vogue he needs a win very soon, preferably at Silverstone. If that was to happen (which we all know it won't) he would again become the undisputed pet of the British media.

[nojvnof1 0]

Totally agree, especially with the British media being fixated on one British star at a time. I mean we saw it with Hill, then Coulthard and at times Irvine, and now Button and most likely next is Hamilton.

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But its not only the media it will probably be an reduced interest from the general public as well. It has been over 6 seasons now and there has still not been the long awaited hurra. The media actually has nothing new to report as it is just the same old story repeated over again and again so it is a natural evolution that they look towards the horison and finds Lewis. Now here they automatically can spin the whole Button story again, only with a different name but with the same hopes and expectations.

[nojvnof1 0]

Again, totally agree. Same stories, different driver.

[Max Mosley 2]

Agreed.

Nice to see you back Girl Racer, with your wonted good judgment and deep insight! You don't seem to be posting much recently. Your forum needs you!

Again, totally agree. Same stories, different driver.

Happens in most sports here. Think tennis, football etc.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

How did Lewis do in the spanish gp2 race?

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How did Lewis do in the spanish gp2 race?

First race he got bumped on the last lap while in the lead by Premat which resulted in a spin but he salvaged second place. Second race was not very spectacular and I think he ended up fourth. Piquet jr. is the new champoinship leader by two points over Lewis.