Q+A Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton, one of the most promising rookies in F1 this season, talked to the McLaren Mercedes website to explain how testing has been going and how the work on the development of the MP4-22 is progressing. Here follows the interview with the new F1 talent, Lewis Hamilton:
"Of course it makes me proud to have the support of people such as Ron Dennis, Martin Whitmarsh and Norbert Haug, I have a massive amount of respect for them and what they have helped me to achieve to date with my career. In answer to do I feel it has created pressure, no, I see it as a motivation. I have been given this massive opportunity by the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team and I intend to make the most of it. I am realistic in that this is going to be my first year, and I have a lot of learn, but I cannot wait to get to Australia and start racing."
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will have the youngest duo on the grid. And the one with the shortest haircut! What else is it that makes you a dream duo?"Hopefully to get the dream results!"
You did excellent in the pre winter tests – with the old car. And doing it again with the MP4-22? Obviously a love at first sight!"The MP4-22 is a great looking car, and it was a very exciting moment for me to get my hands on it for the first time in Valencia, as the first Formula 1 car that was built for me! However, it doesn’t really matter what it looks like, it matters how competitive the car is. Testing at the moment is productive, we have a lot of work to do in the build-up to Australia and we are pushing hard towards this."
You had a bit of a chance to get to know Fernando. How is your relationship? Champion/rookie, master/pupil – how?"It is great for me to be working alongside Fernando in my first year as a Formula 1 driver. I am certainally learning from him, I can look at the data and figure out where I am losing time and therefore where I can gain it. Being his teammate and working alongside him is a great motivation. All of my former teammates have been hugely competitive and the challenge and excitement comes from having to find the answers to the most important question, 'just how far do I need to push myself to beat that person and just how far can I go?"
How much time will you give yourself to be fully established in the team and how positive is it that also Fernando is a new player there?"As just mentioned, it is very positive for me to have Fernando as part of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team. With regards how much time will I give myself to become fully established, I have to say having known a lot of the people within the team for nearly 10 years now, I already feel part of the team."
How have you/will you prepare for a long season to come? And have you already run into the fact that the demands in F1 – on and off track - cannot be compared with anything else? How do you cope with this fact?"The demands of this sport are massive, but then it is the pinnacle of motorsport globally and when you are at the top of your field it doesn’t compare to anything else, you expect that. When you come up through the series in motorsport, particularly in GP2 and the F3 Euroseries, you get to see the world of Formula 1 close-up so you do not go into the job blind. I have spoken with two of my good friends Nico Rosberg and Robert Kubica about their experiences from last year, and I have the support of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, so I am not finding any problems in coping with it."
Testing is one thing – racing another. How much time do you give yourself to fully life-up to what it takes to be a driver for Mclaren Mercedes?"When I am not testing, I spend every day at the McLaren Technology Centre working with my race engineer. We study the data from the tests in detail, to get a full understanding so I can learn as much as possible. I am also training hard to ensure I am fully prepared from a physical perspective. We are doing as much preparation as we can and now I just want to get out to Australia and race!"
Personal questions
What's in your garage at home?"At the moment I have a Mercedes-Benz C Class."
Tell us something we don't know about you?"I can’t do that, I’ve got to keep some secrets!"
Your favorite song for karaoke?"If you’d heard me sing, you wouldn’t be asking that question. Save your ears people!"
Your most embarrassing moment?"Probably my worst moment behind the wheel to date was in GP2 last year, I went out for qualifying at the Hungaroring and spun on my out lap, I stalled the car and qualified last. I did manage during the race to get back up to second position by the chequered flag."
When you're at home, what do you listen to when driving?"R & B, Reggae, Hip-Hop, and funky house"
If you were a superhero, what would your special powers be?"That’s easy, to be able to fly!"
What would you be if you weren’t a racing driver?"I would be in the music industry, either performing or a producer?"
Person you most admire?"My brother Nicolas."
Source McLaren
