Whitmarsh predicts Brazil showdown

Tuesday 15th November 2011

Whitmarsh predicts Brazil showdown

Whitmarsh predicts Brazil showdown

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh admits it was great to see the "old" Lewis Hamilton win in Abu Dhabi and feels the victory has set up a showdown with Jenson Button in Brazil.

Hamilton put his recent troubles behind him to reach the top step of the podium in the United Arab Emirates and join team-mate Jenson Button on three wins for the 2011 season.

The 2008 World Champion admitted afterwards that the win helped to lift his spirits after so many on and off-track woes.

"This is so uplifting, to be able to walk away with a smile feels fantastic. Victory is good for the soul," he said.

Whitmarsh is delighted that Hamilton has managed to turn things around and feels both his drivers will be eager to cap off 2011 with victory at Interlagos in order to finish the season with four wins.

"We'll remember that win for the Lewis we know and love, and I think he really enjoyed it," Whitmarsh said.

"I think it was an important one for him. He was strong all weekend after coming into it in a good frame of mind, focused.

"It was for Lewis to reset where he is, and where he is at in his head.

"It means both drivers have three great wins apiece this year, and I'm sure both of them think they can make it four by the end of the season.

"I know them both well enough that they will want to be the driver who comes out of the year with four wins. They'll both fancy their chances of winning in Brazil."

Hamilton, though, doesn't agree with Whitmarsh's remark, saying it will be all about a team win at Interlagos.

"For the life of me I don't know why he would say that because that's not the case," he said.

"Of course we both want to win, but it doesn't matter whether he or I get it, we still end up on a high. That's my view anyway."

Button's P3 at Abu Dhabi means he will finish the season ahead of his McLaren team-mate in the Drivers' Championship, but Hamilton brushed it off.

"For me it's irrelevant whether he has finished ahead of me because we want to win the Championship," he said.

"Some days when you play golf you have an off day and you lose, well this has been an off year.

"It's not too bad to have an off year considering I've been racing since I was eight years old, and considering the stuff I've been going through I don't think I've done too bad to be where I am."

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