PlanetF1

JYS: Lewis the natural No 1 at McLaren

Monday 08-March-2010 13:50

With the countdown to the 2010 season in full swing, just about everyone wants to have their say on the "order" at McLaren and Sir Jackie Stewart is no different.

The three-time World Champion believes Lewis Hamilton will be the clear No 1 despite defending Champ Jenson Button's move to the Woking-based outfit during the off-season.

"Lewis Hamilton is extremely well established there," Stewart told The Telegraph. "It would be like somebody coming to join me at Tyrrell back in my day when I already had a considerably stronger presence there and knew everybody.

"I still believe that whatever anybody says about No 1s and No 2s, Lewis will be the natural No 1; the known commodity for the McLaren management and individuals. That for me still clearly portrays walking into the lions' den."

Stewart insists he doesn't think there'll be any problems between Hamilton and Button.

"I have no doubt at all that Jenson will be made to feel welcome within the McLaren family," he said.

"My only point is that when you are going in with someone as well established as Lewis is you choose carefully.

"But there are not many people who would turn down the opportunity to drive for McLaren. And I don't know in reality where else he would have gone.

"My gut feeling is that Button would have preferred to stay at Brawn-Mercedes. Whether he turned down the money while he was still in negotiations with Ross [Brawn], or whether Mercedes decided they didn't like what they saw in the second half of last season performance-wise, I don't know."