F1 Hamilton.net - Lewis Hamilton Blog

Heikki Kovalainen is going to be Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate at the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team for the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship.

Heikki Kovalainen who previously raced for Renault has done a seat swap with Fernando Alonso to join McLaren with a long term contract.

I think Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton are going to be a great team for the coming seasons – best of luck to them!

Here’s what Heikki Kovalainen had to say:

I am so excited to join a team like Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. So far I have been blown away by the dedication and commitment to winning, which is clear through the entire organisation, and I am really excited about our joint future.

As a Finn it’s an honour for me to follow in Mika and Kimi’s footsteps. I haven’t really spent a lot of time with Lewis so far but from what I know I think we will work well together and do our best for the team. I am really looking forward to 2008 and working with Heikki as my team-mate. Together with the team we will do everything we can to ensure that our championship challenge is as strong and focused as possible.

My first year in Formula 1 was incredible and I was so fortunate to spend it with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and I hope that Heikki will enjoy his first year with the team as much as I did mine.

I just came across in interesting Q&A with Lewis Hamilton – from autosport.com

Lewis Hamilton famously first attended the Autosport Awards in 1995 as a young karter to collect his first major trophy. That night has been etched into folklore, however, for the manner in which the then youngster approached Ron Dennis and told him that he wanted to race for McLaren in the future.

Hamilton returned to the Awards this year as the same polite, amusing and interesting person – but of course with slightly more interest surrounding him. And after becoming the first man in the history of the Awards to capture three trophies in one night, he spoke on stage to reflect on that night 12 years ago as well as his rookie season in Formula One.

What do you remember about your early years at the Autosport Awards?

Lewis Hamilton: As you know I have had an amazing season, but it is quite strange standing here. In 1995 when I came here to receive my first trophy, I went up to Ron and said I wanted to race his car and be world champion. I have come so far with the support of my family, and standing here after my first full season in F1 is just unreal. I am just as nervous as I was when I was 10 years old…

So what do you remember of that conversation. Did you have to grab him, was there a queue?

LH: There was no queue. My dad said, ‘There is Ron Dennis¦.” And as a young 10-year-old, all I can I remember is the McLarens were red and white and he was the boss. It was a good conversation. He gave me plenty of time and he is still the same guy.

Who were the personalities who impressed you back then?

LH: For this evening and the past couple of months the most difficult thing has been Colin McRae. I remember the first time I came here I was up in the bar and he was one of the first guys I met. I was into rallying and he was the man I wanted to be.

He was such a character. I was 10-years-old and he was trying to get me a drink! I always remember that night because he gave me so much time. I missed Ayrton Senna by a year, but I was fortunate to get around to see some other people.

You have had an extraordinary season. What was it like heading into Melbourne?

LH: Well, the first year, (after) working so hard to get there, I didn’t feel like a rookie. I was given such a great opportunity so I grabbed it with both hands.

My engineer and I at McLaren, we made sure we didn’t leave a stone unturned so we could go to the first race as well prepared as we could. So I got to the first race and, for sure, probably the other guys didn’t anticipate me being so quick – which is a good thing to catch them by surprise!

That was how I probably did so well at the first corner, but I think they caught on after that. I was given a lot of respect, but they quickly realised I wasn’t here to mess around.

For you what was the high-spot – the first win, the first pole?

LH: It is difficult to say if there was one particular high spot. To be honest it was an amazing rollercoaster. To get to the first grand prix and to get the first podium is something you can only dream of.

And then to continue that, and to finally get the first win and first pole – I really remember that. I had nearly put it in the wall but managed to get the lap. It really was just an amazing emotional ride throughout the year.

What would you say was your best overtaking move?

LH: Probably Monza. I really just wanted to do a 1-2 for the team, so I had to make sure I got past Kimi (Raikkonen). I had two laps to do it with brand new tyres and he was on old tyres as he had only done one pit stop. I didn’t actually realise until I saw the replay how far back I was.

It didn’t work out in the last few races of the season. What lessons do you take from that in 2008?

LH: To always keep your head up. I went into those last races and what was important was that I still had support from the team. And with all the problems we had to deal with, the atmosphere within the team to support me remained the same. It really showed that if you work, keep your head down and stay focused you can achieve it.

You can’t win all the time, but you have to lose to learn how to win. We didn’t get the championship, but perhaps it was a good thing. So we will be working twice as hard next year.

By Jonathan Noble - Source

Ok, well now it’s finally official, Kimi Raikkonen is F1 World Champ.

So well done Kimi! Lewis Hamilton also insited that he did not want to win off the track, which is fair enough as F1 is becoming very political these days and I think the fans would like to keep the sport on the racing track rather than in the courtroom.

Let’s not forget that this is Hamilton’s 1st year in Formula 1! He’s got so much potential and so many more chances as he’s still very young.

Lewis Hamilton News

Acording to a poll by Renault sponsors ING who have surveyed 8500 F1 fans Lewis Hamilton is the most popular racing driving in the formula one championship.

To me that’s no real surprise as he’s been fair on track and he’s always been open and kind to people in F1 and the press.

Go Lewis, good job man!

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton insists he’s still the same and that success hasn’t changed him.

I feel that I am still the same person I was a year ago, but clearly from the outside my life is perceived as completely different. From being virtually unknown at the start of the year, I have become someone everyone recognises. I have not bought any fancy cars and I have not dated any fancy women and I do not have a home in Monaco.

I cannot believe the people I have met this year, charitable people, friendly people, fans and new friends, I have also met some incredibly famous people and am still struggling to believe it. It did take some getting used to – hanging out with P. Diddy, calling him Sean, and having all these famous people’s numbers on my phone.

I would rather completely avoid it and have a place where I can feel safe from intrusion. It was then that I first started thinking seriously about leaving England, leaving the UK, to live abroad.

Switzerland has a great feel. I had never been there until this year and I absolutely loved it. I thought it was such a cool, chilled-out place. Despite what has been said, it is not about tax. I love England and I am happy to pay my tax if I live there, Money is not the decider in my life – quality of life is.

Lewis Hamilton News

Today it was announced that Alonso will not be driving for McLaren in the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship.

Fernando’s relationship with Ron Dennis has been well publicized throughout the year and neither of them seemed very happy with the situation.

This is what Alonso had to say:

Since I was a boy I had always wanted to drive for McLaren, but sometimes in life things do not work out, I continue to believe that McLaren is a great team.

Yes, we have had our ups and downs during the season, which has made it extra-challenging for all of us, and it is not a secret that I never really felt at home. I know there have been suggestions of favouritism within the team and people say a lot of things in the heat of battle, but in the end I was always provided with an equal opportunity to win.

Today’s decision allows all of us to focus on 2008, and I wish the team, Vodafone, Banco Santander, Mutua Madrileña and all the other team partners who I have worked closely with during the year, the best for the future.

So who is Alonso going to drive for? Is it going to be Toyota, or some even think Red Bull?

It’s going to be interesting next year – let’s wait and see what happens.

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has decided to relocate to the beautiful country of Switzerland which will hopefully guarantee him more privacy and not have people following him into the toilet asking for autographs.

Lewis will be living in Geneva overlooking the city’s harbor in a three bedroom apartment. Sounds nice

Sounds like a good location in central Europe with easy and convenient airport access for him to jet off to various race tracks and back to the factory.

Lewis Hamilton

Bernie Ecclestone said that Hamilton’s Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ race strategy for Brazil cost Lewis Hamilton his first Formula 1 World Championship.

You have to admit, it was a strange strategy to put Hamilton on three pit-stops while most of the rest of the field was on a two pit-stop strategy -which definitely looked to be quicker.

Also, the McLaren’s appeal is to be heard on November 15th, where it will be decided if Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld will be penalized for having cooler race fuel. And McLaren have also been voted worst losers – just to sum it up…

An interesting interview with Lewis Hamilton from sportinglife.com

Lewis Hamilton, talking to McLaren’s website, reviews his Brazilian GP, the loss of the 2007 World title and looks ahead to next year’s Championship.

Q: Lewis, so close wasn’t it. You’ve been such a major force in Formula 1 this year; tell us what you are thinking?

LH: Thank you! No it’s been an incredible year and you know I’m still quite happy, if you think about it, coming from GP2, who would have thought I’d be ranked number two in my first year of Formula 1. For sure we led the, the World Championship all the way to the last race and we had a – a tough three weeks, there was nothing we could do. We did the best job we could, the team did a phenomenal job all year, the car was great and I honestly still believe that we have the quickest car and I think we’ve learnt so much from this year, we’ll go into next season with our heads high and I know I will do even a better job next year and come back even stronger.

Q: A lot of people are talking about the problems that you had in the race, you had rotten luck with the car, can you tell us what happened?

LH: It wasn’t a great start to the race, I locked up behind Fernando basically to avoid hitting him and went a bit wide. I came back on and was quite relaxed, I knew that I had the pace to gain back my position and I was downshifting into turn 4 and it just went into neutral. I coasted for quite some time and eventually, I don’t know how, but it just eventually clicked back in and I was able to get it going again and from then on we had to manage the engine so I was quite low rpm.

Q: When did you feel that it was over, when your chances of the Championship were gone?

LH: When I saw the Chequered Flag. I never stopped pushing, I just kept going until the end and I was told at the beginning we could still get it and I truly believed that, so I just kept doing the best job I could and I think pacewise we weren’t that bad. For sure it wasn’t as good as the, the Ferraris but I think that has a lot to do with the way we were running our engine, I think, in terms of actual pace and, and with the car, I think we could have been quicker than – no problem. I’ve come from GP2 and now I am ranked number two in the world which is positive. I really can’t wait for next year. I know we can do a better job.

Q: Were you feeling emotional when you crossed the line and you realised that it wasn’t yours or it might have been? How did you cope with it?

LH: Oh for sure it’s a little bit emotional but I just can’t deny the fact that it’s been an incredible season. I finished second in the World Championship, I beat my team mate, under extremely difficult circumstances I beat the two time World Champion, that was the goal a the beginning so that’s a great result. Kimi did a fantastic job all season and drove very very well so he deserves to have it.

Q: Do you feel robbed of the Championship?

LH: No, it’s been a crazy year. I’m really, really gutted but I just think it’s unfortunate that we had that little problem, after all we haven’t had any problems all year really apart from the tyres and the car was phenomenal for the race, it really was good, apart from the first lap I think I drove one of my best races and so you can’t be disappointed with that. I think everyone had their fair share of bad luck this year, it’s just unfortunate that mine all came in the last few races. We have had a hard few weeks, so I wouldn’t say I’ve been robbed. Kimi and Ferrari did a fantastic job, I think it’s a shame that our team, with everything that’s gone on, we didn’t get the Championship but we’ll go into it next year with heads high.

Q: A lot of British fans have been rooting for you. What would you like to say to them right now?

LH: I have to say a big sorry to all the fans back home, I really do appreciate all the support, they’ve been phenomenal this year, and also my family, but let’s not forget it’s been an incredible season for me and to come into my first season in Formula 1 and finish a rank number two. I’m the number two driver in the world, that’s – that’s pretty awesome so we can’t complain, it’s been difficult, it’s been very, very tough but we’ll, we’ll bounce back from this, I have no doubt about it. I went into the race and I said to myself that whatever happens, it’s been a phenomenal year. Who would have thought I would be leading the World Championship going into the last race, I could have been World Champion and that’s a great feeling. It’s been a huge roller-coaster ride and yes, for sure, we all wanted to win – the World Cup and the World Championship. It’s obviously not England’s turn this year, but it’s my first year in Formula 1, next year we’ll bounce back stronger.

Q: What are your thoughts on Kimi Raikkonen winning the World Championship? Do you think he deserves it?

LH: I think any of us could have deserved it and for sure he deserves to win. He did a great job, he did a great job the last few races and um, you know, it’s all about consistency and, you know, he did an honest job. I have to say a big congratulations to him because he’s been a phenomenal force all year and I’ve always admired him, I think he’s a great driver and I think he’s actually a really good guy so I’m really proud of what he’s achieved and I’ll stick it to him hopefully next year!

Q: What do you think you learned Lewis, what will you save from this year going forward?

LH: Just about everything, from every race I’ve learnt a huge amount and I honestly can’t say there’s one thing. There’s not one thing I can say that I’ve learnt more than others. But certain mistakes that I’ve made, I won’t make them next year.

Q: You’ll be back next season but for now though you must be intensely proud of your achievements in your debut year.

LH: I am and I think I set some good records this year, I’ll be interested to see who beats them in the future but you know there’s still more records to be beat and there’s still a long, long way to go, I’m only 22, I’ll be here for a while and very proud to be in the Vodafone-McLaren-Mercedes team so fingers crossed they’ll keep me for a while.

Q: You’re still smiling, you’ve had an incredible year haven’t you, especially at 22 years old, your father said earlier ‘oh we’ll be back next year and if we don’t win it next year, we’ll win it in 2009′. What’s your final thought?

LH: I totally agree, I think, I was just told we have 22 weeks to the next race, to Melbourne and in those 22 weeks I’m going to come back fitter, more relaxed, more experienced and I think we’ll have a better car so let’s keep our heads high and look forward to next year. We’ll be even better prepared and the team are going to keep pushing, I’m going to keep pushing, I’ve got the experience now, I can bank that and start from fresh in Melbourne…

[Source]

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has had an incredibly record breaking rookie year in Formula 1. Here’s a quick summary:

Lowering the benchmark

Youngest world championship leader – 22 years, 4 months, six days (Spain 2007)

First rookie to win, take pole position and set fastest lap in a McLaren

Youngest driver to score pole, win, fastest lap hat-trick – Japan 2007

Straight on the pace

Most points in a debut season – 109

Most podiums in debut season – 12

Most races led in debut season – 12

Most pole positions in debut season – 6

Most front row starts in debut season – 12

Fastest driver to reach 100 career points (15 races)

Most consecutive podiums from debut race – 9 (Australia-Britain 2007)

Most consecutive points finishes from debut race – 9 (Australia-Britain 2007)

Most consecutive number of races led from debut race – 7 (Australia-USA 2007)

Britain’s instant hero

Youngest British driver to win in F1 – 22 years, 5 months, 3 days (Canada 2007)

Youngest British driver to score pole position – 22 years, 5 months, 2 days (Canada 2007)

Youngest British driver to register fastest lap – 22 years, 3 months, 1 day (Malaysia 2007)

Youngest British driver to finish on podium – 22 years, 2 months, 11 days (Australia 2007)

Youngest British driver to qualify on front row – 22 years, 3 months, 8 days (Bahrain 2007)

Youngest British driver to lead a race – 22 years, 2 months, 11 days (Australia 2007)

Most points for a British driver in one season – 109 (Previous record Nigel Mansell, 108)

[Source]