Thread: Lewis Hamilton 'will throw world title away'

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

UN Irish bar is pretty atmospheric on big sports days.

Cheers. Might give it a go. You coming?

Sorry. Possibly a tad personal.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

UN Irish bar is pretty atmospheric on big sports days.

Cheers. Might give it a go. You coming?

CMN? Irish Pub??

He's a hermit these days, no phone, no drinking. Spotted even less than that other Chiang Mai recluse Begbie.

^
have pm box, will travel.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

pm box

Wots that then?

Could meet for coffee, cocaine, er Fanta. whatever.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Pubs in Chiang Mai, with atmosphere for the next GP?

UN Irish bar is pretty atmospheric on big sports days.

Good pub that one. I'll be there with Noony over Christmas.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I'll be there with Noony over Christmas.

Sorry, I thought he abhorred all dens on iniquity.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Sorry, I thought he abhorred all dens on iniquity

I do.

might meet the fat bastard for breakfast though.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

I do. might meet the fat bastard for breakfast though.

Breakfast it is then >.......

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

might meet the fat bastard for breakfast though.

I'll spike your orange juice.

What about mine? Great way to start the day.......

Next year ........no adverts

Any updates for the weekend?

Exciting !!!!!!!

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Exciting !!!!!!!

Exciting indeed but sure will be a late night or an early morning to be awake to watch it!

Where will you watch it? Or rather, how?

^At home on UBC Star Sports.

Would that be in the United Kingdom > perchance?

Cheats never prosper. Except in F1.

Checked the weather for Brazil, forecast thunder storms all weekend, Hamilton loves the wet so should do well, unless somebody tries to take him out, Eddie Jordon says if they try, take their wheel's off.

GP Brazil - RaceFelipe Massa (BRA/Ferrari)13/10 Here is the betting Jandajoy/

Lewis Hamilton (GBR/McLaren)12/5 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari)6/1

Originally Posted by oldgit

GP Brazil - RaceFelipe Massa (BRA/Ferrari)13/10 Here is the betting Jandajoy/

Lewis Hamilton (GBR/McLaren)12/5 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari)6/1

SHOCK HORROR !!!!

Are you implying that people actually gamble on the outcome of what is the last remaining bastion of sporting prowess !
That could lead to all sorts of arguments !
I do hope that you could be wrong !

Relaxed Hamilton ignores pressure
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Practice: Friday 1200-1330 and 1600-1730 GMT Qualifying: Saturday 1600 Race: Sunday 1700 Coverage: BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sport website and ITV1

Lewis Hamilton insists he will approach Sunday's season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix like any other race, even though the world championship is at stake.
Hamilton has a seven-point lead over title rival Felipe Massa - the same lead he held over Kimi Raikkonen, who denied him the 2007 title in Brazil.
"Last year it was all a bit hectic and the pressure of the last race, perhaps it got to me," said Hamilton.
"But this year I feel it's just another race and I know we will be strong."
Hamilton saw the title slip through his fingers at Interlagos last season when he ran off the road trying to pass his then McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso on the first lap.
His race went from bad to worse as a gearbox problem left him at the back of the field and, though he recovered to seventh, Raikkonen took the chequered flag to snatch the title by a single point.



This season the Englishman hopes a more considered approach will help him avoid mistakes in Brazil and secure enough points to clinch a maiden drivers' crown.
"It's quite simple really," said Hamilton, who only needs to finish fifth to capture the championship even if Massa wins.
"We're here to win, but we don't have to win, so that's some pressure off our shoulders.
"We obviously know it's not do or die so we can afford to finish behind first. It's just another race, that's the way to approach it and that's how I've done it in the past.
"It's exciting and everyone will enjoy it because it's the last race and we will we give it the best shot we can to come out on top."



WHAT HAMILTON NEEDS TO DO
If Massa wins in Brazil, Hamilton must finish at least fifth to be champion
If Massa is second, Hamilton must finish at least seventh
If Massa is third or lower, Hamilton is champion regardless of his result in Brazil

Hamilton rejected suggestions that team tactics or foul play could be a factor in settling the season finale.
"We're here to race," said Hamilton, who at the penultimate Chinese Grand Prix was dogged by accusations of aggressive driving.
"I believe every driver here is a great sportsman and we're all very competitive.
"I just have to trust and believe in everybody and hope we can have a fair, straight race."
An equally cool Massa insisted he was undaunted about the prospect of clawing back a seven-point deficit on home soil.
The Ferrari driver, who says he "grew up" at the Interlagos circuit, won his home race in 2006 and was second to Raikkonen last year after letting him pass.
"I would much rather arrive here seven points ahead, not behind, but I am very optimistic," said Massa.
"I hope to have a good race and I want to win the championship, but the rest of it does not rest on me.
"All I can say is that the optimism for me is 100%.
"It's a great feeling and a great time to be here; fighting for the championship in my home country."

Massa's task could, however, be hampered by wet weather as rain has been forecast for this weekend.
Hamilton has proven himself to be a consistent performer in the wet while Massa has attracted criticism over his ability to handle the rain.
The McLarens are also better able to handle cooler conditions than the Ferraris, but Massa dismissed suggestions that could hamper his chances.
"People say I cannot drive in wet conditions because in F1 I had lots of negative wet races," said the Brazilian.
"The car influences this a lot and it is not news that our car suffers in the race when it is heavy rain conditions where the tyre has lower temperatures.
"That is a factor, but I never thought I would not be able to drive in the rain. I had some races this year, unfortunately, where I was no good, but in Monaco I was the fastest car in the rain so I don't believe it."




Story from BBC SPORT:
BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula One | Relaxed Hamilton ignores pressure

Published: 2008/10/30 16:38:15 GMT

From The Times

October 31, 2008

Lewis Hamilton targeted by racists in Spain





Edward Gorman, Motor Racing Correspondent, in Sao Paulo

DIV#related-article-links P A { COLOR: #06c } DIV#related-article-links P A:visited { COLOR: #06c } #FlashContent { VISIBILITY: hidden } Lewis Hamilton claims that he does not read about himself in the media or on the internet, which is just as well because, as he prepares to try to close out the Formula One World Championship this weekend, the McLaren Mercedes driver has again been the subject of vicious racial abuse in Spain.

A Spanish website called Pincha la Rueda de Hamilton – “Burst Hamilton’s Tyre” – that encourages visitors to leave virtual nails on the track at Interlagos to stop Hamilton becoming world champion at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, is full of racist and personal abuse directed at the 23-year-old.

Among the comments left by some of the 27,000-plus visitors to the site, which was launched this time last year when Hamilton was battling for the drivers’ championship with Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard who was his McLaren Mercedes teammate at the time, are people referring to Hamilton as “n*****”, “half-breed” and “son of a b****”. One, calling himself Carillo, tells Hamilton: “Half-breed, kill yourself in your car.” A message from a man called Alberto says: “I hope you run over your dad in the first pitstop, Hamilton.” In another posting, Charly writes: “If you don’t get a puncture, then Massa will crash into you.”

The website suggests that, if enough people participate, placing either nails, drawing pins or, bizarrely, porcupines on the track, they will be able to “will” punctures to occur to Hamilton’s car, in a similar way to voodoo practitioners sticking pins in an effigy.

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the sport’s world governing body, condemned the website last night. “The FIA’s position is very clear,” it said in a statement, “discrimination and prejudice can have no place in sport or in society. Everyone in our sport will join us in condemning these abusive and hateful comments.”

However, a source at the FIA rejected suggestions that the organisation could have made moves to have the website shut down. “We are not a Spanish equal-rights organisation,” the source said. However, The Times understands that the FIA is likely to raise the issue with the Real Federación Española de Automovilismo, having previously threatened the Spanish motorsport authority with losing the Spanish Grand Prix if it did not get to grips with racism.

The website was launched after Hamilton and Alonso had a bitter falling-out last year and it is clear that many of the messages refer to that dispute, although the site has remained open since then and new messages were still being added last night.

Hamilton was abused by sections of the crowd during a preseason test at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona in February, when a group of Spanish fans blacked up their faces, wore wigs and T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Hamilton’s family”, booed the British driver and called him a “black s***”. That episode led to the FIA launching ‘Every Race’, a campaign to rid the sport of racial abuse.

Jaime RodrÍguez, the Formula One correspondent forEl Mundo, the Spanish newspaper, said: “It is difficult to know who is behind this website. It could be some kind of freak and it is not moderated in any way, I am sure.

“The trouble is we have such a bad name in Spain after the episodes with Luis Aragonés [the former Spain football coach, who made racist references to Thierry Henry] and Montmeló [the Circuit de Catalunya], that this cannot help."

Hamilton, who leads Felipe Massa, of Ferrari, by seven points and needs to finish fifth if Massa wins the season-ending grand prix to win the title, made no comment on the affair. But his team said: “McLaren was one of the earliest supporters of the FIA’s ‘Every Race’ campaign, and we support that campaign still. We’ve seen today’s [FIA] statement and we can only echo it.”

In addition to racist comments, the site also contains homophobic references, attacks on Ron Dennis, the McLaren team principal, and Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One commercial rights holder, although one message of support for Hamilton reads: “I’ll love you for ever.”