multi21

Perhaps head games, but Hamilton's contract with McLaren is up at the end of this year. LH has the talent, but what's between his ears concerns.... he let's girlfriends, managers, sponsorship obligations and family matters interfer with his track performance....





Ecclestone predicts possible Hamilton exit


Bernie Ecclestone predicts another lacklustre season from Lewis Hamilton could signal the end of the 2008 world champion's career in F1.








F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes Lewis Hamilton could be just one lacklustre season away from turning his back on the sport.

The McLaren protégé has endured a turbulent few seasons since taking title glory back in 2008, but failing to perform consistently at that level has only been the tip of the iceberg, as controversy has seemed to follow his every move, most publicly in his recent spat with Ferrari's Felipe Massa and, privately, with his on-off-on relationship with singer Nicole Scherzinger.

Ecclestone fears the decision to continue at Woking may not even be up to Hamilton after he was outclassed by team mate Jenson Button in the same machinery last year.

"I think, if he doesn't perform this year, he'll be looking maybe to move on - and the team may also be looking for him to move on," Ecclestone told BBC Sport.

The blame for his difficulties however can't lie solely at Hamilton's feet, for McLaren is, by its own standards, going through a lean spell, culminating in only one drivers' title in ten years, while failing to achieve a constructors' championship since 1998.

Ecclestone has also been less than complimentary about the 27-year old's choice of management since splitting from his father Anthony Hamilton, insisting that Simon Fuller's XIX Management team is not right for the McLaren man.

"I don't agree with the people he's got surrounding him and so-called 'managing' him.," Ecclestone emphasised, "I think he doesn't need that sort of management. [He needs] someone with their feet on the ground.

"It's a people's job. They don't have to know about technical issues, [they need] someone who, if you've got a problem, can talk to the guy.

"His dad was good, wasn't he? His dad was the right person."

It's not all doom and gloom for Hamilton however, as the F1 general claims that the Briton, apart from personally being in a better place for the upcoming season, will benefit from employing Didier Coton, who formally worked with double world champion Mika Hakkinen.

"I spoke to [Hamilton] the other day and I think he's a bit more focused," Ecclestone concluded.


by Simon Evans

Veloce Raptor

....

Nordschleife

somebody needs to retune their bernie inference engine.

Anthony H was far from a good manager, he was far too busy living the dream. oops I've done it again.

If you bring up your kids in the expectation they'll be F1 drivers, don't be surprised if they turn out right prats.

Hamilton could probably benefit from having a manager like Petrov's.

R+C

Flying Finn

He now has Didier Coton (Hakkinen's old manager) as his manager.
It's still part of some kind of entertainment team that manages Hamilton so not sure how much they're actually doing (vs. Coton) but having him watching over his back should be good for Hamilton's F1 career.

ilko

In my view he's had just one truly bad season - 2011. 2009 started badly but he and the team rebounded. In 2010 he was a title contender until the next to last race. And last year he was off his game.

So yeah, this is a big year for him, but it would have been anyway considering his contract with McLaren expires at the end of the season.

ltc

You're right. F1 champion...irrelevant.
I would rather get an update on Danica.

mklaskin

Head games. If he leaves McLaren, there will be a line up for his services.

Christian Horner may even be in that line. Luca, for sure!

Flying Finn

Or rain drops in Daytona...

Yep, much more relevant...

LuigiVampa

If you don't have the team behind you it is really hard to win. Hamilton acted like a spoiled brat throwing a temper tantrum during much of 2011 and refused to take responsibility. But hey, he is a kid in his twenties who has all the money and fame someone could wish for thrown at him. Its hard to keep grounded. A little taste of failure, like he had in 2011, will either kill him off or make him stronger for 2012. Lets see what happens.

Veloce Raptor

Both are about as relevant.

924RACR

Bernie doing his usual to stir up $hite when the press is too quiet on their own. Big year for Hammie? Sure. Make or break? Yeah, right; that kid still has way too much going on to suggest that he's washed up, as the Mad Muppet would like to imply...

This is almost as predictable as Mike Helton announcing another diddling with minutiae of the points system in the off-season...

jaje

I think having Button as a team mate is what he needed after being on the same team with Alonso. He needs to sit back and learn how to handle the pressure to become great again. Last year McLaren / Ferrari were playing 2nd fiddle to the Red Bulls so hopefully they closed the gap as well as other teams so we have a more competitive front field.