I was around when Hamilton raced karts and can conclusively say you don't have a clue what you're talking about.

That's why I'm asking, because it was certainly new to me. And yes the racism question was argumentative, because I think it's a BS claim.



It's well documented they wanted to go to GP2 for 2005 but McLaren wanted them to stay in F3. What races did they do without McLaren assistance?

There's idiots everywhere, but I think it's incredibly distasteful to try to paint Spain and the average Spaniard as racist.

There's idiots everywhere, but I think it's incredibly distasteful to try to paint Spain and the average Spaniard as racist.

That's not what he said Ross. Where did Grenada "try to paint Spain and the average Spaniard as racist"?

That's why I'm asking, because it was certainly new to me. And yes the racism question was argumentative, because I think it's a BS claim.



It's well documented they wanted to go to GP2 for 2005 but McLaren wanted them to stay in F3. What races did they do without McLaren assistance?

You don't know much about motorsport quite clearly. While 80% of drviers have their families wealth to fall back on Hamilton didn't have that luxury. He was racing for himself from age 12 when McLaren signed him. Do you have any idea what kinda of pressure that brings to somone... a CHILD! You can't ever have an 'off-year'. You have to deliver every single race.

Hamilton's colour had nothing to do with him being one of the best drivers in the country when he was age 8!!!

dude... you sound like someone who has never raced in your entire life!

If its well documented that they wanted to go to GP2 before Macca would let them how come you dont know the rest of the story which is equally well documented....

Because I think on this issue people cherry pick incidents to try to support a trend that isn't there.

Not so well documented that I've ever come across it. I'm surprised because I've never seen anything about it until today. The Hamiltons made public noise about not being in 100% agreement with McLaren about what to do next, but I thought that was an off-season issue. His entire year of F3 would have been McLaren/Merc supported so why wouldn't Macau and Bahrain have been included in that?

I've even seen one unverified (but IMO trustworthy) report that the contract was actually torn up in Anthony and LH's presence when they would not back down, initally.

I think you will find a "trend" is something that happens a number of times - as it has in Spain (whether you like it or not) both at race weekends and in testing.

To support the "cherrypicking" suggestion perhaps you would like to point out the numerous instances that have happend in other countries to Hamilton ??

This is true.

When Jake Humphrey visited the MTC, after Jenson signed for Mac... This story was told.

Yep, as I understand it (from Mark Hughes' The Full Story and subsequent TV interviews) Anthony was called back from Macau to negotiate with Whitmarsh as their contract with McLaren had expired, and the new one Whitmarsh was pushing for wasn't good enough for AH. So Whitmarsh ripped it up. Then Hamilton won Macau from 12th on the grid and still couldn't secure a drive for 2005 (AH was trying to finance a deal with David Sears, lobbying Williams and also in discussions with what Mark Hughes terms a 'leading Champcar team')

Both sides realised what they might be missing out on and a reconciliation occurred. Happily for both, I would guess.

Yep, as I understand it (from Mark Hughes' The Full Story and subsequent TV interviews) Anthony was called back from Macau to negotiate with Whitmarsh as their contract with McLaren had expired, and the new one Whitmarsh was pushing for wasn't good enough for AH. So Whitmarsh ripped it up. Then Hamilton won Macau from 12th on the grid and still couldn't secure a drive for 2005 (AH was trying to finance a deal with David Sears, lobbying Williams and also in discussions with what Mark Hughes terms a 'leading Champcar team')

Both sides realised what they might be missing out on and a reconciliation occurred. Happily for both, I would guess.

Cheers, mate.

Are you able to say whether LH did any races at f3 level without McMerc funding - or did I get the wrong end of the stick somewhere along the line?

Lewis Hamilton has defended his motor-racing upbringing following a comment from former world champion Nigel Mansell describing him as "manufactured".

Hamilton was left stunned by Mansell's jibe made yesterday at The Hay Festival, with the 1992 title-winner adding: "How many people from seven years of age have been given £2.5million to go karting?"

Mansell was commenting on modern-day Formula One, suggesting that drivers like Hamilton have had it easy on their journey to the top.

Hamilton was taken on by McLaren at the age of 13, becoming world champion 10 years later, but only on the back of proving his talent as a youngster and with extensive support and backing from his family, notably father Anthony.

Asked for his response to Mansell's remarks, Hamilton's initial reaction was: "Wow!"

The 25-year-old added: "He is a world champion, a great star and I look up to him, but I wouldn't have expected that from him.

"Clearly he has not been reading the right stories or he has just not got his facts right.

"I wasn't signed up until I was 13, and I would love to see what happened to the rest of that money from the age of seven!

"I just think he is ill-informed and doesn't have the right information."

Crediting McLaren for his success, Hamilton added: "I feel very fortunate to have the support because without it I wouldn't be here.

"I don't know how he (Mansell) was funded when he was younger, but for us it was virtually impossible to find money. It got more and more expensive.

"My parents paid all the way until I was 13 by re-mortgaging the house. They were broke.

"I was very fortunate Martin (Whitmarsh) and Ron (Dennis) came along and supported me."

McLaren team principal Whitmarsh also weighed into the debate as he said: "Lewis and Jenson are great racing drivers. Nigel knows that.

"I just hope he has been mis-quoted - he often has apparently!"

Lewis's response - he sounded as shocked at the ill-informed idiot Mansell as most F1 fans would be: http://www.sportinglife.com/others/news/st...h_Hamilton.html



Very measured response I thought.

On a lighter note, did anyone hear Legard say on the BBC that Heikki bought an iPad from Lewis that he brought back from the US and Lewis charged him commission? Ha ha

Cheers, mate.

Are you able to say whether LH did any races at f3 level without McMerc funding - or did I get the wrong end of the stick somewhere along the line?

Mansell certainly could've chosen his words better, but Hamilton basically concedes the point above. The Hamilton fanboys are more than a bit thin-skinned on this issue. Perhaps because they know it to be true.

Mansell certainly could've chosen his words better, but Hamilton basically concedes the point above. The Hamilton fanboys are more than a bit thin-skinned on this issue. Perhaps because they know it to be true.

Mansell certainly could've chosen his words better, but Hamilton basically concedes the point above. The Hamilton fanboys are more than a bit thin-skinned on this issue. Perhaps because they know it to be true.

Mansell certainly could've chosen his words better, but Hamilton basically concedes the point above. The Hamilton fanboys are more than a bit thin-skinned on this issue. Perhaps because they know it to be true.

Ross never did like Hamilton from the off.

You may have a point on this. I am searching for the info. I dont remember this as Bahrain and Macau but those are the only races that there is a record of him entering in the period that I mentioned.

I do recall reading that two races were done without McMerc funding. Why would this have happened? people fall out. It can get messy. I've even seen one unverified (but IMO trustworthy) report that the contract was actually torn up in Anthony and LH's presence when they would not back down, initally.

I will come back to this when I can supply a source.

Mansell certainly could've chosen his words better, but Hamilton basically concedes the point above. The Hamilton fanboys are more than a bit thin-skinned on this issue. Perhaps because they know it to be true.

The source is Whitmarsh himself. He said it at his "Lewis was an experiment" interview, after the Hoon-incident in Australia

The first part of the question seems like a genuine factual query, but the second part is just argumentative.... LH's story is pretty well known. I am surprised someone who has been a member here since 99 (and therefore not a casual fan) is asking these questions. BTW Pre F1 goes back at lleast 14 years in LH's case.... as Grenada has pointed out.

Mansell certainly could've chosen his words better, but Hamilton basically concedes the point above. The Hamilton fanboys are more than a bit thin-skinned on this issue. Perhaps because they know it to be true.

It's more a case of knowing that every F1 driver has had support, and lots of it, or they wouldn't have made it.

dude... you sound like someone who has never raced in your entire life!

In the case of Mansell, he had no such financial support akin to Hamilton's. That was a different era, however. This is just a classic case of someone from a different era in a particular sport lamenting how tough things were back in the "good ole days" compared to today; it's just a disconnect that happens between the older generation and the current one.

Every driver that has competed in F1 has had some kind of support,go back to the old days to now,from Senna to Alonso had support.The only difference,Mclaren made their investment to Lewis public.Do you think Vettel would be competing today with out Redbull backing,it just doesn't happen without backing.

Every Red Bull driver has, there was nothing out of the ordinary about his situation. What seperates him from the rest is he's the only guy to pass every requirement they've had of him. Assuming he wins the title.

Motorsport is full of drivers who have had support. Mclaren is not some woolly liberal organisation, who will fund your pursuit because they feel sorry for you. If you don't meet their expectations they will drop you and have a history of doing so. When Hamilton wanted to progress higher up the motorsport ranks, quicker than Mclaren believed was the right path, they were willing to let Hamilton and his dad leave. Hamilton was offered to Williams and BMW. They tried to get a drive in GP2 with no luck, forcing them to go back to Mclaren with tails between their legs and he had to do a second season in F3 euro series. Hamilton has won every catergory Mclaren has sponsored him in. Every target and goal they set, he achieved culminating in a WDC in 2008.

The relationship between Mclaren and Hamilton has now changed, to one which is more reciprocal. Mclaren provide him with a race car and mega resources to develop it and Hamilton gives the team worldwide exposure on the front and back pages, good and bad. The guy is a pin up and arguably F1's biggest star and recognized throughout the world. Mansell sounds like a bitter man IMO. I wonder how Mansells sons have entered motorsports? I tell you one thing, its not funded on their pocket money and a Sunday paper-round.

Motorsport is full of drivers who have had support. Mclaren is not some woolly liberal organisation, who will fund your pursuit because they feel sorry for you. If you don't meet their expectations they will drop you and have a history of doing so. When Hamilton wanted to progress higher up the motorsport ranks, quicker than Mclaren believed was the right path, they were willing to let Hamilton and his dad leave. Hamilton was offered to Williams and BMW. They tried to get a drive in GP2 with no luck, forcing them to go back to Mclaren with tails between their legs and he had to do a second season in F3 euro series. Hamilton has won every catergory Mclaren has sponsored him in. Every target and goal they set, he achieved culminating in a WDC in 2008.

The relationship between Mclaren and Hamilton has now changed, to one which is more reciprocal. Mclaren provide him with a race car and mega resources to develop it and Hamilton gives the team worldwide exposure on the front and back pages, good and bad. The guy is a pin up and arguably F1's biggest star and recognized throughout the world. Mansell sounds like a bitter man IMO. I wonder how Mansells sons have entered motorsports? I tell you one thing, its not funded on their pocket money and a Sunday paper-round.

Lewis: police loving my charge

He doesn't seem to bothered about it, and he shouldn't be.