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I remember sometime back that Hamilton had a clause in his contract saying he can´t participate in RoC.
Is this really true and why would you have such a contract?
RoC is a pretty interesting competition because they are mostly on a level playing field so it would be cool to see just how well he would do.
I know that Jenson Button takes part again this year. So I don't think it has something to do with the formula 1 business (Like Schumacher isn't allowed to drive Audi etc..)
raymondu999 wrote:McLaren don't have a history of allowing other activities outside of F1
Rubbish, so what about Jenson?
That's why i said HISTORY. Besides, that shocked quite a number of people. That's just about the first time McLaren has let their driver do anything other than F1
I have no source, was just something i read a while back.
Could even have been here.
RoC 2004 - Coulthard - Mclaren driver
Kovalainen had been driving Roc for a few years but not in 2008 when he was a Mclaren driver.
Not present the year after - still a Mclaren driver.
Year after (2010) he drove Roc, not a Mclaren driver buy then.
Button joins Mclaren 2010 - not in Roc, was the year before though.
Button will join Roc this year though together with Priaulx - Mclaren driver.
Seems very strange. Heikki was clearly not allowed, Coulthard was.
Button was not last year but this year it´s ok.
Now we don´t even know if the drivers themselves has expressed thoughts on wanting to be a part of RoC or they simply could not make it that day.
Either way, why Hamilton has yet to join puzzles me. I mean you would think he would do it once but then again he´s only driven for Mclaren.
raymond is right, here's a quick check on wiki....
Coulthard last season with McLaren was in 2004. He raced for RB for 4 years, 2005 to 2008.
The 2004 RoC took place in Dec, so Coulthard has already left McLaren by then. I recall that most driver contracts run to the calendar year, so perhaps Coulthard was still under a McLaren contract.
So - there has never been an active McLaren driver in the RoC?
Except for Button. He´s the only guy without a contract for next year i think but i know there have been talks about a multi-year deal.
That could be after this extra year he´s been talking about.
Jenson's doing it this year so it would be odd for Heikki to have a clause with Lewis whilst Button not.
If Lewis had an invitation to race at RoC Mclaren would not stop him that much IMO is obvious. I suppose right now it is not something he has been invited too, or he has but he is not interested in yet.
Button doesn´t have a contract for next year though. So if nothing happens he won´t have a Mclaren contract when RoC starts.
I don´t believe Hamilton won´t do it. It doesn´t make any sense because it should be a very attractive thing to do for all top racers around the world.
