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Hamilton makes peace after slamming drivers
Source: Agencies |
June 1, 2011, Wednesday
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MCLAREN'S Lewis Hamilton has apologized to fans and Formula One rivals Felipe Massa and Pastor Maldonado for comments he made after Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old Briton had blasted race stewards after collecting two drive-through penalties, one imposed after the race, for collisions with Massa of Ferrari and Williams' Venezuelan rookie.
"Massa held me up in qualifying, I got the penalty," he fumed afterwards. "He turned in to me (during the race), I got the penalty. These drivers are ridiculous. It's stupid."
Hamilton made peace with the stewards after the race and then made a separate apology to Massa and Maldonado on his Twitter page.
"2 Massa & Maldonado, with the greatest respect I apologise if I offended u. Both of u r fantastic drivers who I regard highly," said the Briton.
After the race, Brazilian Massa, who crashed in the tunnel after a collision at the hairpin, called for Hamilton to face further sanctions.
Maldonado, who had been heading for his first points in Formula One but ended up with nothing, told Venezuelan television that Hamilton's race was "not that of a champion".
Hamilton, who finished sixth, also addressed fans "lost and won" and said he respected both the positive and angry messages he had received in the aftermath.
The 2008 world champion added a further explanation to his behavior in a meeting with British reporters after he had been to see the stewards in Monaco, and said he had no plans to change his style of driving.
"That's what got me here, it is the way I am. I don't do it to offend people or to hurt anyone. I do it because I love racing, and I feel like I can do it better than others," he declared.
"If it ever comes to a stage where I had to pull back and just cruise around, that would not excite me and I probably wouldn't stay around for that. I am here to race and win. If I have to lose that passion then it blows all racing."
Hamilton also revealed he had been asked to retire from the race when his car suffered a damaged wing in a multi-car crash that led to the grand prix being stopped and then re-started.
"I got hit and my rear wing was hanging off and I was asked to come in and retire and I refused," he said.
"Then the red flag came out and I am lucky I did not retire as I managed to get a couple of points or it would have been even more damaging to my championship.
"In the first pit-stop I was asked to pit and no-one was there. So all the tension just boiled up," he added.
The 26-year-old Briton had blasted race stewards after collecting two drive-through penalties, one imposed after the race, for collisions with Massa of Ferrari and Williams' Venezuelan rookie.
"Massa held me up in qualifying, I got the penalty," he fumed afterwards. "He turned in to me (during the race), I got the penalty. These drivers are ridiculous. It's stupid."
Hamilton made peace with the stewards after the race and then made a separate apology to Massa and Maldonado on his Twitter page.
"2 Massa & Maldonado, with the greatest respect I apologise if I offended u. Both of u r fantastic drivers who I regard highly," said the Briton.
After the race, Brazilian Massa, who crashed in the tunnel after a collision at the hairpin, called for Hamilton to face further sanctions.
Maldonado, who had been heading for his first points in Formula One but ended up with nothing, told Venezuelan television that Hamilton's race was "not that of a champion".
Hamilton, who finished sixth, also addressed fans "lost and won" and said he respected both the positive and angry messages he had received in the aftermath.
The 2008 world champion added a further explanation to his behavior in a meeting with British reporters after he had been to see the stewards in Monaco, and said he had no plans to change his style of driving.
"That's what got me here, it is the way I am. I don't do it to offend people or to hurt anyone. I do it because I love racing, and I feel like I can do it better than others," he declared.
"If it ever comes to a stage where I had to pull back and just cruise around, that would not excite me and I probably wouldn't stay around for that. I am here to race and win. If I have to lose that passion then it blows all racing."
Hamilton also revealed he had been asked to retire from the race when his car suffered a damaged wing in a multi-car crash that led to the grand prix being stopped and then re-started.
"I got hit and my rear wing was hanging off and I was asked to come in and retire and I refused," he said.
"Then the red flag came out and I am lucky I did not retire as I managed to get a couple of points or it would have been even more damaging to my championship.
"In the first pit-stop I was asked to pit and no-one was there. So all the tension just boiled up," he added.
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