Hamilton calls for equality
Brit seeks level playing field for Kovalainen
Last updated: 13th May 2008
Hamilton: Backing Kovalainen
Lewis Hamilton is more hungry than ever to claim victory on the streets of Monaco on Sunday week, but has urged his McLaren team not to give him preference over team-mate Heikki Kovalainen.
Hamilton finished second to Fernando Alonso 12 months ago but was told by the garage to give up the chase despite the Brit having the pace to give last year's team-mate a run for his money.
The move proved disastrous for McLaren, causing a rift between the duo that would continue right through the season, eventually seeing Alonso return to Renault, the team with which he won the world title.
But although Hamilton wants victory at Monaco like no other grand prix, he insists history must not be allowed to repeat itself.
"Monaco is the dream grand prix to win, the most important race to win personally," said Hamilton.
"If I feel I can win anywhere, it is definitely Monaco. But you have to be in the right place at the right time.
"If I am not winning then I wish he (Kovalainen) was and it is the same feeling vice-versa, so I want it to continue as it is, fair and square. It would not be right for the team to push me ahead of him."
"And it is difficult to know exactly how we will do at Monaco because there are so many differences to Istanbul.
"Ferrari seem to be really quick in the slow corners, and although our performance will be really good, I don't think we will have the dominance we had last year because the teams are much closer.
"It depends if we can put together a better package for that weekend. I think we can, but it will be closer."
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Comments
Doug Cox says...
Lewis Hamilton is a guy who knows how to present himself to the public. If you've ever raised a kid, you know when you're being told exactly what you want to hear at the time you want to hear it. Listen "between the lines" when he talks and you'll see the real man. His greatest accomplishment is being able to make people believe that he's humble and fair. In reality, he thinks he's invincible and knows more than everyone else, including his team.
Posted 12:04 14th May 2008
Carl Aldridge says...
You people make me laugh. Hamilton acts positive he is called arogant, he reacts in another way he gets accused of playing the mayrtr. This guy is a brit attempting to win the WDC, the first since Damon Hill. Where the hell have the other brits gone? What are Coultard & Button doing at the moment apart from dating one blonde after another. Wake up and smell the coffee. Support the GUY.
Posted 20:38 13th May 2008
Mark Horwell says...
It's great to see Lewis promoting equality in sports. he's been such a key figure in this sport and it's fantastic to see him doing the right thing. Like people have said below he really is such an ambassador, pushing the sport forward and getting more and more fans rallying behind him. I don't know what all this talk is about him being "a one hit wonder" and "spoilt". He's done so much for this sport, and after his very first year in F1 he did so much. Now he's going through a bad patch and everyone immediately jumps on the hate-wagon. EVERYONE goes through a bad season, Kimi Raikkonen came 7th in the 2004 season in a McLaren and now he is champion. How dare anyone say Lewis won't be champion one day. He will be and is fast becoming the greatest thing this sport has seen for many many years. Lewis is the next Schumacher, the next prodigy, and I for one cannot wait to see what he is capable of. March on King Lewis.
Posted 19:46 13th May 2008
Nile T says...
Some of the comments above are so stupid, anyone doubting Lewis's ability is a fool, you dont become as good as he is at his age with little ability, and to say he is spoilt just shows how jelous you are of him, travelling the world racing the fastest cars with plenty of women who wouldn't want that life, and for his dad to have helped him get to where he is that is all part of being a parent, but if u think he is where he is just because of his dads money then more fool you, i remember massa a few years ago couldnt even keep the car on the road, look at him now, yes in the best car but a very gd driver now because it takes time, and for lewis to have over acheived in his first season but still not winning the championship like he should have has let the pressure build on him and Mercedes as a team, plus with their law suit which has obviously effected their ability to compete with Ferrari this season, and it will be hard in future seasons, not only do they have the best car but also the best driver with the consistency of Kimi. I heard a funny story about Kimi the other day he got a speeding ticket in Finland, and the amount you pay depends on how much you earn and his was 35,000, lose change for him but still..
Posted 15:21 13th May 2008
Hit Govind says...
i think EVERYONE should just leave lewis alone,and let him get on with what he's got to do. if RAIKKONEN come first or kubica second so be it. of course i want lewis to come first but if doesn't then let the best man win.
Posted 14:59 13th May 2008
Marie Shepherd says...
I believe that hamilton doesnt have what it takes, and never will. He is a spoilt little boy living his dads dream and one day its going to come crashing down around him, i am so glad that Ferrari have taken on Raikkonen he will be a great asset to the team and hes still good friends with Michael Schumacher, whom i believe should come back to Ferrari out of retirement. He should never have done that, Please come back Michael. That would be the greatest Ferrari team ever. Ferrari to win the Championship!!!
Posted 13:42 13th May 2008
Jide Pearce says...
It's easy to say Mclaren should have handled the Alonso/Hamilton situation much better, but really, what could they have done? There was no way Lewis was going to give into Alonso, and likewise Alonso was never going to give an inch. Alonso was under so much pressure, he should have been forgiven for all the crazy things he did. Lewis was by no means blameless, but he has to be forgiven because he is phemonenal.
Posted 13:20 13th May 2008
Laura Navarro says...
urgh lewis hamilton PLEASE stop playing nice guy. to win the championship youve got to be ruthless, and he is, yet he's pretending not to be. he's too sneaky and needs to stop playing the mayrtr. I wonder why Monaco is the ultimate race for him? obviously because its the race thats more about celebrity than about the actual race. the kid is an idiot and needs to come down to earth for a bit.
Posted 13:17 13th May 2008
D J says...
Anyone who believes Hamilton wants equality is a fool. Last year he spent almost the whole season whingeing(which isn't surprising when you consider the two biggest whingers in F1 are Ron Dennis and David Coulthard, ex of McLaren) and trying to get the team to give him preference over Alonso, which they did and he still couldn't deliver.He is now trying to portray himself as Mr nice guy because things are not turning out the way he wants and there are several drivers around who could do a much better job than Hamilton if they had a drive in a top car.
Posted 13:15 13th May 2008
Tony Capaldi says...
Tell me what is all the fuss about Hamilton let's be realistic one he will never make world champion just like all the Brits before him, and these comments he comes out with are purely to promote his like-abilitiy factor to the gulliable british who most of them are just fair weather friends and only watch F1 or any other sport where they think a brit can win and just too add about how he is the honest sportman I might be wrong but wasn't he involed in a spy scandel last year.
Posted 12:51 13th May 2008
Ian Almond says...
Lewis Hamilton is a breath of fresh air that we should all embrace. He is a great ambassador for our sport. As far as Alonso is concerned, he is a spoilt brat who appears to engage personality before ambition. The bigger picture would have seen him stay put at Maclaren and swallow his juvenile pride. He would still be in with a chance of winning races and maybe another title. A classic case of cutting off his nose to spite his face! Bravo Lewis, your a true racer. It's a shame Jenson Button is still floundering around at Honda. I like Jenson but losing respect for the fact he is wasting his talent on an also ran team. Move on Jenson before it's too late.
Posted 12:44 13th May 2008
Lee Antrobus says...
In reply to Mark Hughes` comments. I don't know what races you have been watching or where you get that Kovalainen isn't fast enough to drive for Mclaren but we must be watching a different sport. Lewis hamilton did not oust Alonso from Mclaren that was completely his own doing by trying ferrari esque tactics at a team that wont stand for that and pretty much blackmailing the ceo of the mclaren group. not very clever for a two time world champion. Kovalainen has actually outpaced michael schumacher in the race of champions hardly a level playing field but the pace is there. the fact that you have put money on mclaren winning and they havent cleaned up one twos for the whole of season proves that you know very little about f1 and that your not to happy about the fact they haven't earned u your money back yet. a few sour grapes are detected im afriad. i am a huge mclaren fan but have been forced to conclude that raikonnen will get his double championship with ferrari this year, but that doesnt mean hamilton wont give him a fight for it, the ferrari has more straight line speed and is better in the corners than last years car. when ferrari make a car as good as the f12008 its back to the schumacher days of dominance. mclaren and bmw will be there but just not good enough this year. enjoy the rest of the season mr hughes and pay more attention to the actual results instead of basing your comments on untrue rubbish that u have read in the red tops.
Posted 12:23 13th May 2008
Matt Hill says...
I'm sorry but this is rubbish. If this is true Hamilton does not deserve to be the champion and never deserves to become one. A champion needs to be ruthless and if that involves his team giving him the edge so be it. The latest champs Schumacher, Prost, Senna, Alonso and even Raikkonen were always given an edge by their teams. Same treatment will result in an championship standing like this 1)Raikkonen 2) Kubica 3)Hamilton. Hmailton needs to wake up stop playing mister nice guy and ruthlessly go for the title. FERRARI AND RAIKKONEN FOR THE TITLE.
Posted 11:57 13th May 2008
Adam Smith says...
Lewis has shown what he is all about. I'm glad he has said this because although some people will say he is probably faking, he can prove himself to be a fair team player. I disagree that this will make him weaker. He is a nice guy who can beat the best. He battled his heart out at Turkey and made a very positive (friendly) overtaking move and still had a big smile for Massa after the race. You can't fake the smile Lewis gave Massa after Turkey and it was true indication of Lewis personality
Posted 11:43 13th May 2008
Mick Dundee says...
well done lewis, nicely said, as for the above person ie; mark hughes he needs to get a life.......check your facts first.
Posted 11:19 13th May 2008
B Cave says...
I agree with Philip Jones - Lewis has always been fair. Let's hope he can win the WDC this year and show that true sportsmen can win.
Posted 11:13 13th May 2008
Lindsay Heasman says...
Shumi was selfish and ruthless - on the track, not within his team. True teamwork beats selfish self interest every time. McLaren first and second must be the goal. If, come the end of the season, team orders have to prevail then so be it. Until then, shoulder to shoulder is the best way to take on Farrari.
Posted 11:02 13th May 2008
Ron Graham says...
Well spoken Lewis
Posted 10:59 13th May 2008
Keith Hallam says...
Just a thought.... is Lewis Hamilton turning out to be a one hit wonder? Remember when Mansell went to the States and blew away the competition for one season. It was said then that he did so well because he didn't know what he was doing. Once he realised what he had to lose he lost the edge. I followed Lewis last year and along with the rest of the Britpack willed him to win, driving on the edge and over the edge a couple of times. So much more to lose now....
Posted 10:53 13th May 2008
Mark Hughes says...
Listening to all this English hype(who else) about Lewis Hamilton made me put a right few quid on McLaren this season to win.Needless to say I've been horrified, Australia apart , about the start to this F1 season.Who the hell is Hekki Kovalinen? He is shocking and nowhere near talented enough to be driving for one of F1's fastest teams.Lewis Hamilton is one of sport's most prominent spoilt brats but he has done the sport a massive dis-service by blatantly ousting Fernando Alonso from McLaren.Alonso and Hamilton should both be competing against the two Ferrari drivers as those 4 are the best drivers on the circuit.Instead we have Hamilton relying on a driver with limited ability as a teammate and Alonso(the only man who could stop Schumacher) driving knowing the best he can get is 6th or 7th.Ron Dennis should be ashamed of himself
Posted 10:43 13th May 2008
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