112 replies to this topic

[BackOnTop]

“I went to see them (McLaren) in Australia,” he told Formula 1′s official website. ”But I also tried to see them in Jerez, at the test, and there (sporting director) Sam Michael threw me out of the garage. That wasn’t very positive and I don’t feel very good about that.”

Hamilton is believed to have fallen out badly with former mentor and McLaren supremo Ron Dennis, but he says his relationship with Martin Whitmarsh is intact. “Martin has been great,” he said, “and I have to say that I haven’t had enough contact, so I will give Martin a call.”

Sergio Perez was signed up to replace Hamilton in the Woking based squad.
http://www.yallaf1.c.....8YallaF1.com)

Edited by BackOnTop, 19 April 2013 - 09:04.

[SUPRAF1]

It makes for a very funny picture in my head though

[trogggy]

Do drivers ever go into other teams' garages?

[Gareth]

They definitely go into other teams' pit boxes occasionally ...

[Baddoer]

Why he Didn't tweeted this?

[SophieB]

I think a lot would depend literally how this went down. The mental image that leaps to mind is an angry Sam Michael bellowing to everyone to drop what they're doing and bundle the filthy intruder out of the garage, like angry bees attacking a rogue wasp trying to sneak into their hive.

But if it was something more like he was discreetly pulled aside and told that delighted though they always were to see him, he needs to understand that cannot just walk into the garage freely and needs to let them know first, I think that would be fair enough.

[Oho]

Really Sam + Mclaren, not very nice.

Perhaps but very appropriate unless the throwing bit was literal.

[ViMaMo]

[kosmos]

I don't think teams like to have rivals in their garage.

[SpaMaster]

“I went to see them (McLaren) in Australia,” he told Formula 1′s official website. ”But I also tried to see them in Jerez, at the test, and there (sporting director) Sam Michael threw me out of the garage. That wasn’t very positive and I don’t feel very good about that.”

Hamilton is believed to have fallen out badly with former mentor and McLaren supremo Ron Dennis, but he says his relationship with Martin Whitmarsh is intact. “Martin has been great,” he said, “and I have to say that I haven’t had enough contact, so I will give Martin a call.”

Sergio Perez was signed up to replace Hamilton in the Woking based squad.
http://www.yallaf1.c.....8YallaF1.com)

You thought Whitmarsh relationship was bad enough. Now it turns out that he is the best he has got at McLaren. Why did he want to meet them at Australia or Jerez? Too many griping stories from Hamilton about McLaren recently.

[undersquare]

I think a lot would depend literally how this went down. The mental image that leaps to mind is an angry Sam Michael bellowing to everyone to drop what they're doing and bundle the filthy intruder out of the garage, like angry bees attacking a rogue wasp trying to sneak into their hive.

But if it was something more like he was discreetly pulled aside and told that delighted though they always were to see him, he needs to understand that cannot just walk into the garage freely and needs to let them know first, I think that would be fair enough.

I can only guess that "..threw me out of the garage...that wasn't very positive and I don't feel very good about that" meant that Sam Michael did it in an unfriendly manner. But Lewis went back to see them in Oz...

Well Sam can be pretty blunt, remembering for example "you're the ****" to JPM, so perhaps in Jerez it was just at a bad time more than a general hostility to Lewis.

Anyway it doesn't sound like Lewis will be going back to McLaren as I once thought he might.

[David1976]

You thought Whitmarsh relationship was bad enough. Now it turns out that he is the best he has got at McLaren. Why did he want to meet them at Australia or Jerez? Too many griping stories from Hamilton about McLaren recently.

You say that, but I would not be surprised to hear far worse which Hamilton is keeping back until after he has retired. I have no doubt that old Ron could be a nasty bastard if he wanted to be. Losing Hamilton was against the odds and a huge embarrassment for McLaren.

[Haribo]

They definitely go into other teams' pit boxes occasionally ...

Zing!

[SpaMaster]

You say that, but I would not be surprised to hear far worse which Hamilton is keeping back until after he has retired. I have no doubt that old Ron could be a nasty bastard if he wanted to be. Losing Hamilton was against the odds and a huge embarrassment for McLaren.

If it was such a bad split, why doe he want to go back to their garage? Now, I don't want to get into who is right and who is wrong behind that bad split. We would never know the true story. So, whatever Hamilton says after he retires, it wouldn't be any more credible.

[nomi]

McLaren are sore losers when people do not bow down to their rigid corporate culture. As for Sam michael, they guy is such a dull lame loser, I don't know how he got the job at McLaren, tells you the incompetence at McLaren.

[Lazy]

I heard a rumour that everything was friendly until Lewis started playing them some tracks from his album.

[PARAZAR]

Why has this been repeated in 2 different threads plus it's own thread? I don't know if the throwing out part is true but I can understand why they asked him to leave the garage. A driver from a rival team in his former teams' garage during testing? He can go over for a visit and a chat at McLaren's hospitality.

[TerminalDegradation]

If it was such a bad split, why doe he want to go back to their garage? Now, I don't want to get into who is right and who is wrong behind that bad split. We would never know the true story. So, whatever Hamilton says after he retires, it wouldn't be any more credible.

Or it could be sour grapes on Michaels part. Some things can be viewed from a different light. I tend to think, after Mclaren offered to make him the highest paid driver on the grid, which he turned his back on, that his view's going to be a fair sight more credible than a Mclaren employee...

[Mc_Silver]

McLaren are sore losers when people do not bow down to their rigid corporate culture. As for Sam michael, they guy is such a dull lame loser, I don't know how he got the job at McLaren, tells you the incompetence at McLaren.

Thanks for your contribution

[undersquare]

If it was such a bad split, why doe he want to go back to their garage? Now, I don't want to get into who is right and who is wrong behind that bad split. We would never know the true story. So, whatever Hamilton says after he retires, it wouldn't be any more credible.

Lol, this is a desperate . Where does 'bad split' come from? Your imagination. He has many good relationships at McLaren, just not with Ron and, perhaps, Michael. He is someone who builds many long-term friendships. That's why, simple as.

So you're really labouring to manufacture a bash out of it. Labouring not very honestly, to accuse him of not being honest. That's a pattern we see quite often...

[SophieB]

If it was such a bad split, why doe he want to go back to their garage? Now, I don't want to get into who is right and who is wrong behind that bad split. We would never know the true story. So, whatever Hamilton says after he retires, it wouldn't be any more credible.

Lewis himself has never claimed it was a bad split. Still, as you are saying you don't believe anything he says anyway, I'm not sure why you keep prompting people to supply his motives for wanting to visit his old team, which seems deeply confusing to you. Seems like it would be wasting your time and theirs if anyone replied anything other than "to steal the plans for the car."

[nomi]

Thanks for your contribution

No worries, i always speak 100% true fact

[SpaMaster]

Or it could be sour grapes on Michaels part. Some things can be viewed from a different light. I tend to think, after Mclaren offered to make him the highest paid driver on the grid, which he turned his back on, that his view's going to be a fair sight more credible than a Mclaren employee...

Why is that?

Of course, things can be viewed on a different light. But it is Hamilton that went to McLaren's garage and presenting himelf like the innocent party. Hence, some of us are throwing a different light.

[SpaMaster]

Lol, this is a desperate . Where does 'bad split' come from? Your imagination. He has many good relationships at McLaren, just not with Ron and, perhaps, Michael. He is someone who builds many long-term friendships. That's why, simple as.

So you're really labouring to manufacture a bash out of it. Labouring not very honestly, to accuse him of not being honest. That's a pattern we see quite often...

Non-sense. I was replying to a post that implied bad split. Instead of going imaginative blah-blah, first read a post, what it is replied to, you know - the context?

So, no I did not state bad split by myself.

Edited by SpaMaster, 19 April 2013 - 09:39.

[TerminalDegradation]

Why is that?

Of course, things can be viewed on a different light. But it is Hamilton that went to McLaren's garage and presenting himelf like the innocent party. Hence, some of us are throwing a different light.

If you offer someone more money than anyone else (pretty much how F1 drivers judge their value), and they turn it down, then you have to conclude the relationship has broken down.

As for him visiting the garage, it's my view he fell out with the top end of Mclaren, not the bottom end, so why does it surprise anyone he may still have friends in the pits, and people whom he would like to say hello to.

Seriously, if he turned down more moolah than ever, why would he do that, unless the relationship was broken down? If Hamilton thought the relationship had gone sour, he would walk, no? If Mclaren didn't want him, and thought their relationship had gone sour, from their end, why would they try and keep him?

Your view doesn't seem to hold water.

[undersquare]

Non-sense. I was replying to a post that implied bad split. Instead of going imaginative blah-blah, first read a post, what it is replied to, you know - the context?

So, no I did not state bad split by myself.

The post you replied to just said Ron can be a bastard; you certainly did start with the 'bad split' all by yourself. Then added a supposed lack of credibility for somebody else lol.

[One]

Sp Lwew is feels Mclaren team is his family not his competitor, Martin is his friend not his former boss. This will cost him.

[trogggy]

As for him visiting the garage, it's my view he fell out with the top end of Mclaren, not the bottom end, so why does it surprise anyone he may still have friends in the pits, and people whom he would like to say hello to.

My first thought is that it would be naive of any driver to think he could walk into another team's garage to say hi to his mates.

[JRizzle86]

I find it a bit weird how Lewis feels he constantly needs to comment on his old team and not in a good way.

With regard to him being allowed in his old team's garage, well when would a competing driver from a competing team being in your garage be a sensible thing.

[TerminalDegradation]

I find it a bit weird how Lewis feels he constantly needs to comment on his old team and not in a good way.

With regard to him being allowed in his old team's garage, well when would a competing driver from a competing team being in your garage be a sensible thing.

Webber has been into the Williams pits many times.

[SpaMaster]

If you offer someone more money than anyone else (pretty much how F1 drivers judge their value), and they turn it down, then you have to conclude the relationship has broken down.

So, that tells you his views are more credible than any McLaren employee?

As for him visiting the garage, it's my view he fell out with the top end of Mclaren, not the bottom end, so why does it surprise anyone he may still have friends in the pits, and people whom he would like to say hello to.

So, you have fallen out with the superiors. Then you think you could go to their operational garage, and visit the employees who are working under those superiors at that point of time? His thinking is more difficult to understand if that's the case.

[MirNyet]

Lol, this is a desperate . Where does 'bad split' come from? Your imagination. He has many good relationships at McLaren, just not with Ron and, perhaps, Michael. He is someone who builds many long-term friendships. That's why, simple as.

So you're really labouring to manufacture a bash out of it. Labouring not very honestly, to accuse him of not being honest. That's a pattern we see quite often...

There are a few pointers to the split being less than wonderful - after Spa - a number of mechanics are quoted as saying that Hamliton is not liked and has to go, and Brundle in an interview over the winter stated Hamliton had told him in private some 'unrepeatable' stuff which made it clear that he had to leave.

That aside, Sam Michael comes across as something of a control freak, so this doesn't surprise me.

[nada12]

[i]“I went to see them (McLaren) in Australia,” he told Formula 1′s official website. ”But I also tried to see them in Jerez, at the test, and there (sporting director) Sam Michael threw me out of the garage. That wasn’t very positive and I don’t feel very good about that.”

Hamilton is believed to have fallen out badly with former mentor and McLaren supremo Ron Dennis, but he says his relationship with Martin Whitmarsh is intact. “Martin has been great,” he said, “and I have to say that I haven’t had enough contact, so I will give Martin a call.”

On the next episode of desperate housewives....

[SpaMaster]

The post you replied to just said Ron can be a bastard; you certainly did start with the 'bad split' all by yourself. Then added a supposed lack of credibility for somebody else lol.

The post I replied to said this

You say that, but I would not be surprised to hear far worse which Hamilton is keeping back until after he has retired. I have no doubt that old Ron could be a nasty bastard if he wanted to be. Losing Hamilton was against the odds and a huge embarrassment for McLaren.

If Hamilton would have such bad things to say about McLaren, it wasn't a bad split? I think I am wasting my time arguing for the obvious.

[KiloWatt]

Put it this way, if you split up with your girlfriend, even if it was amicible, you still don't just casually stroll into her house unannounced.

And if any of you do, you need help.

[GlenP]

Lewis couldn't even take the hint - he tried it again, driving into the McLaren pit box to say hi.

[undersquare]

There are a few pointers to the split being less than wonderful - after Spa - a number of mechanics are quoted as saying that Hamliton is not liked and has to go, and Brundle in an interview over the winter stated Hamliton had told him in private some 'unrepeatable' stuff which made it clear that he had to leave.

That aside, Sam Michael comes across as something of a control freak, so this doesn't surprise me.

I remember the Brundle comment - more than intriguing - but not the mechanics at Spa. Were they quoted, really? It's hard to know everything, but I remember Lewis being clapped through the garage in Brazil.

Sam Michael is a tough cookie. If they were hard at it testing and Lewis came in at an inopportune moment he'd be quite firm I can easily believe, even if there were no hostile feelings at all.

[LuckyStrike1]

I then tried to stop in their pit box in Malaysia but they threw me out of that one too, Hamilton added. I do feel bad about that, being treated that way after so many ways together. Martin was great though, he told me I was welcome in their pit box at any race as long as their drivers didn't need it and I think that is very fair.

[Raziel]

McLaren are sore losers when people do not bow down to their rigid corporate culture. As for Sam michael, they guy is such a dull lame loser, I don't know how he got the job at McLaren, tells you the incompetence at McLaren.

and yet both Ferrari and Mercedes buying everything from that, as you say, "incompetent" McLaren what tells you that about incompetence at those teams?

[maverick69]

I don't see the big deal either way to be honest.

Drivers popping into the pits of their former teams is pretty commonplace. Webber (Williams), Alonso (Enstone Ltd), and recently Shuey (Ferrari) all did/do it.... So I can see why Hamilton saw fit to do so.

Conversely, Hamilton and McLaren have recently had what is a less than "happy" parting of ways - and McLaren may have had some "sensitive" parts knocking about. Sam Michael is also a frosty, tow-the-line sort of bloke..... so it doesn't surprise me - and he was within his rights to do so.

I think however a clearer picture of what went on is starting to emerge - and I get a feeling that Sam Michael and Lewis did not get on at all. And with the rumors of Sam Michael being lined up to take Whitmarsh's position when appropriate - I think that there was defiantly some power struggles going on.........

[rasul]

It's an amusing story(sort of), but if I were Lewis, I wouldn't tell this to everyone. It isn't exactly flattering(to everyone involved).

But F1 would be more boring if Lewis was different.

[nomi]

and yet both Ferrari and Mercedes buying everything from that, as you say, "incompetent" McLaren what tells you that about incompetence at those teams?

McLaren one of the TOP 3 teams having a beautiful start as a BIG team should

[karlth]

I'm not the only one saying that Sam Michael will be McLaren's downfall. The problem with Sam is that he thinks the driver is irrelevant.

[Raziel]

McLaren one of the TOP 3 teams having a beautiful start as a BIG team should

That is a key word here. We´ll see at the end of the season when it matters. Ferrari as THE biggest team in F1 had a "wonderful" start of the season last year and in 2011 (yeah right) We know how it ended but in your opinion start of the season is much important then the end

Edited by Raziel, 19 April 2013 - 10:52.

[pRy]

I don't see the big deal either way to be honest.

Drivers popping into the pits of their former teams is pretty commonplace. Webber (Williams), Alonso (Enstone Ltd), and recently Shuey (Ferrari) all did/do it.... So I can see why Hamilton saw fit to do so.

I doubt Lewis meant anything malicious by it.. in the same way he didn't see a problem with posting telemetry on twitter. But I can see the problem. He is driving for a rival team. He can't just expect to walk into the McLaren garage unchallenged. He would be able to see the car, car parts and possibly even data. Especially at a pre season test where McLaren will have been trying new developmental parts.

If he wants to be friends, go knock on their motorhome door.

[TerminalDegradation]

So, that tells you his views are more credible than any McLaren employee? - Which Mclaren employee? I am under the volition they offered to make him the highest paid driver on the grid to stay. Seems to be obvious to me that they wanted him to stay: why would that be if they had fallen out?

So, you have fallen out with the superiors. Then you think you could go to their operational garage, and visit the employees who are working under those superiors at that point of time? His thinking is more difficult to understand if that's the case - The only part of this I could agree to in any way: an error of judgement on his part. Other drivers have gone into other garages though.

Put it this way, if you split up with your girlfriend, even if it was amicible, you still don't just casually stroll into her house unannounced.

And if any of you do, you need help.

Disagree again, I went out with a girl for about 5 years, and still go in to see them. I consider this acting like an adult; just as your physical relationship has broken up, the friendship with the family, and even the girl, may not have.

The only thing we know as fact, given both parties have admitted it, is that Hamilton chose to leave, even after being offered more money than any other driver to stay. This, itself, speaks volumes

[rko281]

Lewis couldn't even take the hint - he tried it again, driving into the McLaren pit box to say hi.

[learningtobelost]

Driver A gets asked a direct question by a journalist, answers honestly and is accused by rabid forumites that he is classless etc.
Driver B gets asked a direct question by a journalist, avoids answering to protect all involved and is accused of being dishonest, corporate etc.
Driver C gets asked a direct question by a journalist and is represented by the press and fans as having come up with the comment off his own back to heir grievances.
Paul DiResta gets asked a direct question by a journalist... nobody notices ;)

[barneygumble]

I doubt Lewis meant anything malicious by it.. in the same way he didn't see a problem with posting telemetry on twitter. But I can see the problem. He is driving for a rival team. He can't just expect to walk into the McLaren garage unchallenged. He would be able to see the car, car parts and possibly even data. Especially at a pre season test where McLaren will have been trying new developmental parts.

If he wants to be friends, go knock on their motorhome door.

This. And Lewis should know that.

[SpaMaster]

I don't think things are that simple. Being honest and moaning don't have to be the same.

Edited by SpaMaster, 19 April 2013 - 11:23.