Dennis wishes for a more 'prudent' Hamilton

Monday 13th October 2008

McLaren chief Ron Dennis has, for the first time in Lewis Hamilton's 20-month F1 career, publicly acknowledged misgivings with the driving of his protege.

While still unhappy with the stewards' decision to penalise Hamilton for his hot-headed attempt to pass Kimi Raikkonen into the first corner of the Japanese GP, a ruling that the McLaren team as a whole are understood to regard as 'absurd', Dennis has acknowledged that Hamilton's decision-making on the opening lap was mistaken.

"Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, it would have been nice if Lewis had been a little bit more prudent in the first corner," he acknowledged. "Yes, he could have been a bit more mindful of the situation. Some of the things he does leave us in awe of him. The simple fact is he is a great driver and we are going to fight for the World Championship, but it's sometimes a bit of an uphill struggle."

While the comments are not especially critical, they do represent a marked departure from Dennis' policy of refusing to provide any sort of censure of his drivers in public. Nonetheless, having stressed the need for his drivers to act with care during the opening laps of the race, and even specifically assured reporters on Saturday night that Hamilton wouldn't challenge Raikkonen for the lead of the race into the first corner if he was out-paced off the line, the McLaren boss is entitled to feel exasperated with the 23-year-old's recklessness into the first corner. Aside from only narrowly avoiding a collision with both Raikkonen and Heikki Kovalainen, Hamilton wrecked his tyres in the process - something which was surely a factor in his McLaren slithering off the track into turn two.

"Lewis is a racing driver. That's what makes him the driver he is. He is going to fight for positions at every opportunity. You are not going to stop him doing that," Dennis reflected.

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Your Comments

dezbo1960

"i agree with you julius..lew was idiotic in his approach to japan and ron has done what any team principle would and scolded his boy..would be good if that pratt of a ferrari boss would..but i doubt bernie or max would be allowed to say such things..if the lad does it how it should be done in china then we have another worthy world champion, if he doesn't then i think it may be a tad late, why..coz the other teams are fast catching the top 2 up and the drivers are as exciting and as focused as lew and co, im a die hard maclaren fan through and through but even im worried now..do what we know you can do lew"

fiaisfixed

"pound for pound ithink lewis is one ofthe the best drivers i have seen in years whish he had been around with the likes of HILL RAIKENAN HUNT and the likes when the championship was desided by the teem and drivers"