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Hamilton leads McLaren one-two in Montreal

June 14, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Lewis Hamilton held off his McLaren team mate Jenson Button to win Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix and jump to the top of the Formula One drivers’ championship.

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In a repeat of the last race in Turkey, Hamilton crossed the line just a few seconds ahead of his fellow-Briton to leapfrog Red Bull’s Australian Mark Webber and Button at the top of the standings.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished third to join the two McLaren drivers on the podium while Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was fourth and Webber fifth after a thrilling 70-lap race.

Hamilton’s second win in a row took him from third to first place in the championship with a total of 109 points. Button remained second on 106 while Webber dropped to third on 103 ahead of Alonso (94) and Vettel (90).

While there were no major crashes the race, back on the program after being left off last year, lived up to its reputation as one of the most enthralling races on the Formula One calendar.

Five different drivers held the lead as teams were forced into a strategic battle to keep their tires from falling apart on the street circuit.

(Editing by Alan Baldwin)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Alan Baldwin, Briton, Canadian Grand Prix, Championship Sports, Crashes, Drivers Championship, Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Formula One Drivers, Jenson Button, lap race, Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber, Mclaren Team, podium, red bull, reputation, reuters, Sebastian Vettel, team mate

Red Bull dismiss Button as title threat

May 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 21(ANI): Reigning Formula One champion Jenson Button has been dismissed as a title threat by his main rivals Red Bull.

Button has dropped from first to fourth in the championship standings behind Red Bull’s Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

Red Bull claims that Button’s McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso are the only men to fear.

“There are two people we fear for this world title. They are Alonso, because he is at his absolute peak, and Hamilton,” The Sun quoted Helmut Marko, Red Bull adviser, as saying.

“What the others are doing doesn’t bother us so much,” he added.

The Red Bull drivers are favourites to win the title this year, with the team already leading the constructors’ championship, 20 points ahead of Ferrari.

They have consistently out-paced others till now in the season, claiming pole position for all six races. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Absolute Peak, adviser, Bull Drivers, champion, Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Formula One, Helmut Marko, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, London, Mark Webber, Mclaren Team, Pole Position, red bull, rivals, Sebastian Vettel, Sun, team mate

McLaren needs to improve qualifying pace for crack at title: Hamilton

March 31, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, Mar 31(ANI): Former Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has said that the McLaren team needs to beef up their cars in the qualifying rounds for them to have a decent crack at this year’s title.

Hamilton believes that despite McLaren collecting 54 points from the opening two Grand Prix’s to sit second in the constructors’ championship, their weakness has been their qualifying rounds.

It had resulted in Hamilton and fellow team-mate Jenson Button starting fourth and eighth on the grid in the season-opener in Bahrain, and 11th and fourth in Melbourne.

“In both Bahrain and Australia we’ve felt more comfortable with our race pace than the pace we showed in qualifying. While that’s encouraging, it’s clear we need to improve our qualifying pace if we’re to have a regular shot at winning races,” The Daily Express quoted Hamilton, as saying.

“It’s all very well being quick in the race, but if you can’t make up places from your grid position, then your race is still going to be a struggle,” he added.

Hamilton further said that the team’s saving grace has been the performance of the car during a race.

“We can take home the positives: our car is fast, much faster than it was this time last year, and it seems to be reliable. Now we need to work on single-lap pace, the sooner the better,” he added. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Australia, Bahrain, cars, champion, crack, daily express, Fellow Team, Formula One, Grand prix, Grid Position, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, London, Mclaren Team, Melbourne, Race Pace, Saving Grace, Season Opener, struggle, team mate

Hamilton rants at McLaren after Oz Grand Prix loss

March 29, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Mar. 29 (ANI): Lewis Hamilton ranted against his McClaren team after seeing the ”drive of his life” wrecked by an Australian Grand Prix cock-up.

His hopes of finishing second behind Jenson Button were ended by a needless second tyre stop.

“Whose call was it to bring me in? Freaking terrible idea,” blasted Hamilton in a radio outburst to his McLaren team.

According to The Sun, the heated exchange was broadcast by BBC Radio 5 Live, forcing commentator Anthony Davidson to apologise for the language.

Hamilton, rocked by a reckless driving rap in Melbourne on Friday, finished sixth after an error from Aussie Mark Webber cost him further time.

He added: “I think I probably had one of the drives of my life. But due to the strategy, I was put further back.

“It has not been an easy weekend and I just want to move on. But I”m happy with the job I did. I drove my heart out and I think I deserved better than what I ended up with,” he said. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Anthony Davidson, aussie, Australian Grand Prix, bbc, cock, commentator, heart, Jenson Button, job, Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber, Mclaren Team, Melbourne, outburst, Oz, radio, rants, rap, Sun, tyre

“Repentant” Hamilton will not get ‘VIP treatment for driving offence’: Victoria Govt.

March 27, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Mar 27(ANI): The Victorian Government has said that Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton will not be granted preferential treatment after being caught ‘hoon driving’ outside the Australian Grand Prix circuit at Albert Park in Melbourne.

Hamilton’s car was impounded on Friday night for 48 hours after police caught him doing a burnout with his silver Mercedes.

Victorian Major Events Minister Tim Holding said Hamilton should not expect any VIP treatment for the driving offence.

“It doesn”t matter who you are, it doesn”t matter where you”ve come from. If you break our hoon driving laws in Victoria you will have your car impounded and you will face the full force of the law,” The Herald Sun quoted Holding, as saying.

“Lewis Hamilton has learned that. I suppose it just sends a really powerful lesson to everyone that if you do the wrong thing on Victorian roads you will get caught,” he added.

Holding further said that Hamilton would be charged on summons and could face further penalties from the Grand Prix authorities or his McLaren team.

“He”s very embarrassed, I”m sure his team”s embarrassed and we just take the view that what this shows is that Victoria”s hoon driving laws apply to everyone,” Holding said.

He also said that the scandal sends out a bad message to youngsters who see Hamilton as a role model, but denied it would take the gloss off this weekend’s Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, Hamilton is expected to face the media after the final qualifying session today. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Albert Park, Australian Grand Prix, burnout, driving laws, formula one racing, friday night, full force, gloss, herald sun, Lewis Hamilton, Mclaren Team, preferential treatment, role model, scandal, summons, Tim Holding, Victoria Govt, Victorian Government, Victorian Roads, youngsters

Button expects quick Webber in Melbourne

March 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Formula One world champion Jenson Button has strongly hinted local hero Mark Webber has his best chance so far to win his home race this weekend.

Button says Webber and the Red Bull cars were extremely quick, despite the result in last Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix when the Australian finished eighth.

Button, who was seventh behind the winning Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, intimated Webber’s mistake in qualifying was the key which held him back, forcing him down the grid for what was a processional race.

“I think he’ll be quick here. I don’t think you saw the best of Mark in Bahrain,” Button said.

“I think he’ll be more competitive here in front of the home crowd.

“The last race for him was not that great but I think he’ll be quick here. He’s quick and he’s dedicated and that’s the thing about Mark. He’s focused and he won’t stop until he wins.

“Hopefully for him he’ll have a good weekend, hopefully for me he doesn’t.

“You’d have to say the Red Bulls are very strong. The Red Bulls and the Ferraris were so quick in Bahrain.”

With Button seventh and McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton third at the weekend, the Briton forecast a better performance this week.

“I think we’ll be a lot closer here. This circuit should suit as well,” Button said.

“Lewis has had a good time here before and also I have, so hopefully we can get a good result.

“This circuit is a low downforce circuit so that should suit us reasonably well.”

Button also warned against a knee-jerk reaction to the outcry after the “follow-the-leader” Bahrain GP, which had viewers switching channels in frustration.

A ban on refuelling during races and teams restricted to a single pit stop made for a humdrum spectacle in the Gulf state, with drivers anxious to avoid tyre wear.

“The last race was not the most exciting from a fan’s point of view,” Button said.

“I think we can improve it and it takes all of us to look at what happened and not get too worried about it and hope that this race is better – this one and the next race, in Malaysia.

“After that we can’t just point fingers.”

- AAP

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Bahrain Grand Prix, Briton, downforce, Fernando Alonso, Ferraris, home crowd, Jenson Button, knee jerk reaction, last sunday, Lewis Hamilton, Local Hero, Mark Webber, Mclaren Team, outcry, Processional Race, red bull, red bulls, Switching Channels, team mate, world champion

Button denies cheating claims on McLaren car’s radical aero device

March 13, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, Mar 13 (ANI): Formula One champion Jenson Button launched a fierce defence of his McLaren team last night, saying that they are not cheats.

Button and teammate Lewis Hamilton impressive start to the new F1 season in Bahrain on Friday was overshadowed by a row over their car’s radical aero device, which gives them a six mph advantage on long straights.

Even though motor sport chiefs have declared the system legal, rival teams have not ruled out lodging a protest if either Button or Hamilton win Sunday’s race.

“Our wing is an exciting and ingenious design which has been passed by the FIA and it is working OK,” The Sun quoted Button, as saying. .

The device works by affecting the airflow from the car and stopping the rear wing pushing downwards on straights, which reduces drag and increases speed.

But other teams hit out at the F-duct vent system, saying McLaren had opened up another arms race one year after the diffuser row involving Button’s then Brawn GP team.

Renault boss Bob Bell said: “It is fundamentally clear the McLaren wing design is totally illegal. They have driven a carthorse through the spirit of the rules and regulations.”

Lotus’ technical director Mike Gascoyne added: “The aerodynamics on the McLaren are changing all the time. Whether the driver is doing it with the knee or not, the fact remains it is not the same all the time so it’s a moveable aerodynamic device. It is a pretty silly interpretation because everyone is going to go and do it. We’ll all spend loads of money and for what?” (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Aero, aerodynamics, airflow, Bob Bell, Changing All The Time, director mike, F1 Season, FIA, Formula One, Gp Team, Ingenious Design, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, loads of money, Mclaren Team, Mike Gascoyne, motor sport, rival teams, technical director, Vent System

Hamilton admits he is not perfect

May 22, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 22 (ANI): Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has put his nightmare start to the season behind him, admitting that he is not perfect.

Hamilton has seen his hopes of retaining the title vanish in the wake of fellow Brit Jenson Button’s storming exploits.

Hamilton was also caught up in controversy off the track after admitting he lied to race stewards at the opening race in Australia, The Sun reports.

He knows his image suffered as a result of the scandal, which saw his McLaren team receive a three-race suspended ban for trying to gain an extra point.

But Hamilton, 24, reckons the tough times will benefit him as a person. “I am definitely stronger. I am not perfect. I am not a politician. I say things wrong every now and then.”

“But you try to learn and to take these experiences with you and try to grow. I won the world championship, which is something I am very, very proud to have. It’s just taking time to analyse what’s gone on and then be able to grow from it.

“You can’t just move on. You have to analyse it and that’s what we’ve tried to do. I feel as a driver that if I had last year’s car, I would be in a great position,” Hamilton added.

Hamilton, who earns around 15million pound a year, insists he is no sporting superstar despite having a pop-star girlfriend in Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger.

“I think what people don’t realise is that while it looks glamorous as a sport and while we look like superstars, we lead pretty normal lives. We might go on a nicer holiday, which I am sure is nice, but our normal lives are the same as everyone else’s.

Hamilton heads into Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix trailing Button by 32 points with 12 races left. (ANI)

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