Hamilton - I suggested Button

McLaren star says he suggested they should hire World Champion

Last updated: 30th January 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Hamilton - I suggested Button

Team-mates: Hamilton and Button

I can't win the Constructors' Championship on my own, so I need to have as strong a team-mate as possible.

Lewis Hamilton
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Lewis Hamilton has revealed that, far from being against the idea of teaming up with Jenson Button at McLaren, he actually suggested they hire him.

The 2008 World Champion claimed that he phoned team boss Martin Whitmarsh around the time McLaren were looking to replace Heikki Kovalainen and suggested his title-winning successor.

Meanwhile, Button himself said he was asking Hamilton for insights into life at McLaren before he became World Champion and made the subsequent decision to leave Brawn - now Mercedes - GP.

Hamilton's claim dispels the notion that, having consistently outperformed Kovalainen during their two seasons together, he was against the idea of being teamed with a driver of Button's standing.

The British duo were speaking on Friday at the launch of the team's new MP4-25 chassis - Button and Hamilton making Formula One history as the first team-mates to start a season as the most recent title winners.

"Something you won't know is that I actually called Martin and said 'What about Jenson?', which was before they had negotiations," said Hamilton.

"At the time I was calling them and asking them, 'What's going on? I keep reading all these different stories about different drivers. What's happening?'.

"Fortunately I would be told who they were talking to, but I had absolutely no input into who they would pick.

"So I would say, 'Have you spoken to this person? Have you spoken to Jenson?'.

"And why Jenson? Because he is the best driver there is, and they wanted to get the best driver possible.

"I just wanted to find out because people kept asking me as to who was going to be my team-mate.

"I was happy with the team-mate I had, but it seemed like they were looking for someone else."

Friction

Hamilton, who said he could not recall ever finishing second best to a team-mate in his entire career, dismissed the notion that Button's arrival might cause friction within the team.

"Firstly, I want the best team I can possibly have to score the points alongside me," replied Hamilton.

"When he's winning I've got to be finishing second, and when I'm winning he's got to be finishing second.

"I need a team. I can't win the Constructors' Championship on my own, so I need to have as strong a team-mate as possible.

"You want someone to push you. I had Fernando (Alonso) pushing me in 2007 and at certain points in the year in 2008, I had Heikki pushing me.

"I've no doubts this year Jenson is going to be hard to beat. His results last year speak for themselves, so in coming here I'm sure he will do a solid job."

Confirming Hamilton was fully supportive of Button's appointment, Whitmarsh said: "As we evaluated the driver market, which we did over a number of weeks, Lewis was consistently positive about Jenson.

"As I think has been made clear, they have a high regard for each other and are already getting on well."

They were certainly all smiles during the launch of the new car, the MP4-25, at the UK headquarters of their primary sponsors Vodafone in Newbury.

Asked whether he was aware of Hamilton's input, Button replied: "No, I didn't know that.

"We spoke a little bit in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, but not about me coming here.

"I asked questions about McLaren, but he didn't know why I was asking the questions.

"I was interested, being nosy. You are always going to ask people what their experience is like in other teams.

"I didn't think for one second I would be changing teams. I didn't think the option was there.

"But your mindset changes when you've achieved something you've worked so hard for, and you look for other challenges."